Style Check: Nicola Formichetti

There is a rumour that Nicola Formichetti is leaving the menswear line of French fashion house Mugler. And head menswear designer Romain Kremer is apparently going with him. Sources say the studio is in disarray, and there is even talk of closing down the men's line.

Formichetti joined the brand in September 2010, changing the name from Thierry Mugler to Mugler. The industry reaction was less hysterical than for Hedi Slimane's Saint Laurent name change.

The Mugler brand garnered fame in the 1980s and '90s with its strong, sexy silhouettes and booming perfume business. Formichetti's appointment renewed interest in the label.

When a brand invests so much in one person for their fame and "hip" factor, it risks a drop when that person leaves. The power balance in capturing the "cool" factor may turn against the label. Formichetti, a hugely talented stylist and creative director, is not, after all, a trained designer.

But it's a risk brands are willing to take because of fashion's obsession with fame, creating famous faces out of designers, editors, stylists and street-style characters.

Some brands, such as Sonia Rykiel (see Following the Flame, above), take a quieter route, using a relative unknown.