DALLAS, May 29, 2007/ FW/ --- Last week, at Gen Art’s Style 2007 fashion competition, Michael Vollbracht representing Bill Blass was one of the judges. It might as well be one of the designer’s last public appearances for the historic American fashion house.

Last Friday, NexCen Brands, Inc., parent company of Bill Blass formally announced Michael Vollbracht’s departure from the house citing the Quincy, Illinois native desire ‘to pursue other interests’ as the reason.

The 1980 Coty American Fashion Critics Award Designer of the Year winner for his eponymous label, Michael Volbracht has had a colorful career and an impressive résumé that includes stints at Geoffrey Beene, Donald Brooks, and as an illustrator for the New York Times.

Though his eponymous label was being sold at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus, he closed its doors in 1985 to concentrate on his fashion illustration and his art.

When he was appointed as the Creative Director of Bill Blass in 2003, fashion insiders noted that Michael Vollbracht collaboration with Mr. Bill Blass from 1999 – 2002 on the retrospective exhibition of Blass' career at Indiana University's art museum in Bloomfield, Indiana, which opened in October 2002, might have been a big factor for his appointment.

Vollbracht’s knowledge of the legacy of Bill Blass cannot be denied, since he also worked on the book, "Bill Blass: An American Designer."

Still, his five-year stint at the American fashion house has been rocky. Though his latest collection has received critical acclaim, the others had been met with doubts by fashion editors and writers.

To be fair, working for a legendary fashion house like Bill Blass is not an easy task. Any designer who takes the helm has to keep the DNA of the house, keep the existing clients while attracting new ones. For a fashion house, finding the perfect fit is also hard because of the same reasons.

With Michael Vollbracht’s departure, NexCen has announced that it is looking for a new Creative Director.