Francisco Costa is leaving Calvin Klein

Calvin Klein’s joint creative directors Francisco Costa and Italo Zucchelli, have both stepped down from their roles

Calvin Klein’s joint creative directors Francisco Costa and Italo Zucchelli, have both stepped down from their roles this afternoon, creating yet another huge job opening in the fashion industry.

The duo, who are responsible for the women’s and men’s collections respectively, have been responsible for reviving the brand since their appointments in 2004, gaining fans in stars including Gwyneth Paltrow and Selena Gomez.

After the company re-acquired its jeans and underwear businesses in 2013, sales have boomed with the celebrity backed #MyCalvins campaigns fronted by Kendall Jenner, FKA Twigs and Justin Bieber.

‘This creative strategy marks the beginning of another significant chapter in Calvin Klein’s brand legacy since Mr. Klein’s retirement,’ chief executive Steve Shiffman said in a statement this afternoon.

‘I would like to thank Francisco and Italo for their unwavering commitment to the Calvin Klein brand and their accomplishments over the past decade. They have both contributed immensely to making Calvin Klein a global leader in the fashion industry, and they have done so with dedication, focus and creativity.’

‘A new brand direction will ultimately follow one creative vision across all categories of the business. An announcement will be made in due course.’

The news comes just weeks after Hedi Slimane stepped down from the helm of Yves Saint Laurent, to later be replaced by Anthony Vaccarello, and Bouchra Jarrer was confirmed as the new leader at Lanvin. All this, and, of course, there is still a top job open at Dior.

So who will replace the pair at Calvin Klein? Well, according to reports, former Dior designer Raf Simons is already waiting in the wings. We’ll expect an announcement shortly, then...