Iconic Australian fashion designer Lisa Gorman has announced that she will be leaving her role as creative director at the Gorman label after 22 years at the helm.
The brand was founded 22 years ago by Gorman, with David Heeney’s Factory X backing company since back in 2009.
Announcing the shock news in a statement, Gorman said: “It is with some emotion, and a lot of gratitude, that I will be leaving my position as creative director of the Gorman Brand.
“The Gorman label has achieved a level of recognition within the Australian fashion landscape that I could not have imagined,” Gorman continued.
“I thank those that made it happen. My incredible design team, all my staff, partners and the 114 artists I have had the pleasure of collaborating with over two decades. Most of all I thank my loyal customers who have supported the label from its ‘fishing pants’ beginnings.”
Gorman when on to hint that she may have plans for a new project, adding, “This chapter has now closed for me personally, making way for new creative endeavours.”
The hugely popular fashion label has not been without its controversy over the years, with 2016 seeing the brand’s parent company receiving a failing score on the annual Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report – leading to a major backlash.
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Speaking with Guardian Australia in 2019, Gorman discussed the grade as being “extraordinarily unfair” seeing as Factory X received the grade due to the fact they did not collaborate with researchers, as opposed to discovering concrete findings of misdeeds.
“It was personally kind of harrowing,” Gorman said in 2019. “I knew that we worked with good factories, I knew that we weren’t using children. We were accused of all sorts of things.”
In a statement, the Factory X managing director, David Heeney, said: “We wish Lisa all the very best for the future and we thank her for her contribution. It has been a great 12 years working with Lisa and she will be sorely missed by myself and the whole team.”
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