Emily Current

Designers Emily Current and Merritt Elliott have announced they're leaving Current/Elliott, the premium denim label they founded in 2008.

"We are so proud of what we have accomplished with Current/Elliott," the two said in a statement, declining to offer an explanation for their departure. "Parting ways has been a difficult decision, but we are thrilled for our next chapter in design and to perpetuate our whimsical Americana aesthetic across multiple categories."

The two will still work together as stylists and consultants, and have a few future design projects lined up.

If three instances of the same occurrence makes a trend, 2012 was a trendy year for designers to leave the brands they founded. Simon Spurr left his eponymous menswear line without explanation in March, and Doo-Ri Chung left her award-winning label Doo.Ri in June.

Kate Spade is continuing its street-chic streak with an upcoming handbag collaboration with Current/Elliott denim darlings, Emily Current and Meritt Elliott. The six-piece capsule line, dubbed The Westward by Emily and Meritt for Kate Spade New York, will range from $245 to $1,295, and is set to feature pieces like this chestnut brown satchel bag with ostrich-print detailing. “They have such a great spirit and epitomize the chic, West Coast vibe," said Kate Spade’s president and creative director, Deborah Lloyd. "This collaboration really was about our girl stepping out of her normal comfort zone and hitting the road.”

• Joseph Altuzarra has paired with denim duo Current/Elliott for six denim styles, set to debut on his Fall 2011 runway — and Vogue has a preview (left) [Vogue.com]
• New Barneys fashion director Amanda Brooks was mum last night on the subject of her new position, saying that it was only her second day, but she has started Twittering for Barneys and says she plans to attend as many New York fashion shows as she can [Harper's Bazaar]
• Zac Posen is keeping his Z Spoke collection appointments very low key this season: "Last season was for the media. This one is for the customers and retailers" [@meenalmistry]
• Jason Wu is livestreaming his Feb. 11 show on Bergdorf Goodman's website, where some Fall items will be for sale as pre-orders on Feb. 16 [Christina Binkley]
• Marc Jacobs is forgoing a Fashion Week party, instead feting the 10th anniversary of Marc by Marc Jacobs with a Valentine's Day "semiformal" [@jimshi809]
• Peep Lauren Santo Domingo on the March 2011 cover of Town & Country, attended by the headline: "Meet the next Mrs. Astor" [@jimshi809]
• Bryanboy has done videos of his fashion escapades before, but this fashion week, he's doing a 24-hour livestream of himself for Kanon Organic Vodka, which promises to "give viewers a first hand look into what it’s like to rub elbows with fashion’s elite." He's got a video preview up on his site, and it goes live beginning at 9 am on Feb. 16 at kanonvodka.com [Bryanboy]
• There are also reports that Bryanboy is shooting a pilot during New York Fashion Week with the producers of America's Next Top Model that "Bravo is supposedly very interested in" [The Cut]
• Tumblr is putting 24 bloggers up in a hotel for New York Fashion Week, has secured invites for them to more than a dozen shows — including big shows like Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta — and set up events for them like breakfast with Nina Garcia, a private brunch at Lucky editor Brandon Holley's apartment, and a meeting with Oscar de la Renta prior to his show to talk his new collection [WSJ, The Cut]
• Abbey Lee Kershaw is reportedly skipping New York Fashion Week, for a "personal music project" in London with "my band" — Our Mountain, the band of Kershaw's boyfriend, Matthew Hutchinson, which she's performed with before. She is, however, set to head to Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks [Frockwriter]
• Alexander Wang cut his front row seats in half this season, thanks to a new seating configuration; he's also hosting an intimate party on Feb. 15 to mark his store's opening [@meenalmistry, @jimshi809]

Mandy Moore was pretty in a printed dress on Thursday night for a bash in LA held to benefit the Susan G. Komen foundation. It was a rare outing for Mandy, who's been busy settling into married life with Ryan Adams. She opened up about their relationship, saying, "I’m learning every day. I’m lucky because I get to spend every day with my best friend and he’s a great influence." Ryan gave Mandy some advice when it came to her recent music endeavors, and maybe their romance can inspire her acting in her next big screen performance.

More photos of Mandy at the opening so read more