This year has proven to be the year of transition for the fashion community. YSL announced Hedi Slimane’s departure from his roles as Creative and Image director on April first, leaving all of us hoping it was a twisted April Fool’s joke. Days later Anthony Vaccarello announced he would be stepping down from his role of Creative Director at Versus Versace and confirming just days later that he would be stepping up into Hedi Slimane’s previous roles at Saint Laurent. With the creative direction of two houses up in the air, it didn’t seem we could catch a break when just two months later the father of street style photography, Bill Cunningham, died at age 87. Now less than a month later, Peter Copping announced he will be stepping down from his role at Oscar de la Renta to return to Europe. Personally selected by de la Renta just a month before his passing, Copping was the first successor of the founder. “After almost two years at Oscar de la Renta, personal circumstances require me to return to Europe. I have loved my time in New York where I hope to return at some point in the future,” Copping stated in a report from WWD. Known for bringing a mature, understated elegance to the brand (chosen by women like Michelle Obama and Sienna Miller), many are questioning how Oscar de la Renta will proceed. While the brand’s next Creative Director is still unknown, Oscar de la Renta’s CEO Alex Bolen ensures us we can expect a continued legacy of greatness. “We have always been in the business of creating beautiful clothes and two of our greatest assets are our design studio and atelier. Our team will continue to work on next season’s collection with a keen focus on the level of sophistication and craftsmanship that are the hallmarks of our house. We wish Peter well in his future endeavours.” By Lindsay Cooper Photos courtesy of Getty Images