After founding a company that bears her name and spending six years developing the brand, Devi Kroell is leaving … sort of. Devi will no longer be CEO but she’ll be involved as a shareholder and member of the board of directors, so we can assume the breakup is an amicable decision between the designer and company. But still, it’s a surprising move given her popularity with the fashion crowd. Since the brand launched, she not only gained the approval of editors with her fashion-forward, exotic skinned bags but also won the Swarovski Perry Ellis Award for Accessory Design at the 2006 CFDA Fashion Awards. While we wonder what’s next on the career path for Devi, here’s a look at a few other designers who’ve left their own namesake companies. Keep reading »
