Joop Hires Dirk Schonberger as Creative Director

Joop, one of Germany’s premiere fashion labels, has hired Dirk Schonberger to be its creative director.

Schonberger, a noted avant-garde tailor whose taut silhouette has famously dressed Mick Jagger, is one of men’s fashion’s most novel designers, a critically acclaimed talent.

Schonberger could not reached for comment, but well-informed sources confirmed that he would start his new position on January 1, 2007. Nor did Joop’s CEO Lars Schoneweiss return calls to FWD, but insiders insist that Schonberger already signed a long-term contract earlier this week.

The designer will be responsible for women’s and men’s wear, jeans and accessories at Joop, which is controlled by Jochen and Uwe Holy, the brothers who formerly owned Hugo Boss. Wolfgang Joop, the founder of house, quit the company at the beginning of the century after disagreements with the backing Holy brothers.

The Holy Brothers also control Windsor, Strellson and the license to Tommy Hilfiger’s tailoring collection in Germany.

Schonberger’s most recent own signature collection was a Beat Generation-inspired show staged in Paris this summer during the World Cup. His previous showing was a sartorial tour of downtown Britain where four black Vespas stood centre stage.

Schonberger was arguably the leader in the mega men’s wear trend of using smoking jackets and tuxedos in a casual, nightclub and party context. His take of sartorial meets savvy street chic has marked him out as a unique designer in the world of men’s style. His career, however, had suffered something of a hiatus, after the main investor in his eponymous label, Belgium’s Anne Chabrol, scaled back her investment in Dirk’ s house.

Schonberger is understood to be keen to return the Joop collections to the catwalk, a label which has largely skipped the runways in the past few years.

However, in traditionally rational German manner, the new creative director will not be rushed into the breach. His debut collection will not be until fall winter 2008.

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