Pip Edwards has taken a ‘step back’ from her popular fashion brand PE Nation.
The designer revealed on Sunday that while she will remain a force at the brand, she will no longer serve in the creative director role she took on following the departure of co-founder Claire Greaves in March.
“Following the celebrated and successful rebrand of PE Nation at Sydney Fashion Week, I will be stepping down as Creative Director of PE Nation to pursue new creative challenges,” Pip wrote in a lengthy Instagram caption.
“My time leading the brand as Creative Director has been incredible, and while I am handing over that role, I maintain my position as Head of PE Nation and a substantial ownership stake. I am forever grateful and proud of what we have created, and PE Nation will always be in my heart and soul,” she continued.
“As the brand has grown, so have I. And just like the rebirth of PE Nation, now is the time to embark on my own era of Re/Creation.”
Pip concluded: “I want to thank our loyal, committed and wonderful PE Nation staff and community, both in Australia and overseas, for 10 phenomenal years of birthing, living and breathing everything that is PE Nation, and for allowing us to collectively reach unforgettable heights.”
Pip’s sports brand PE Nation confirmed Claire would be stepping down from the business in March, with Pip, 44, taking over as sole creative director.
The shock decision ended one of Australian fashion’s longest-running relationships, and the friends have since been dogged by rumours of a feud.
Pip Edwards (pictured) has taken a ‘step back’ from her popular fashion brand PE Nation
“At PE Nation, with my business partner, she was doing the product. She was an amazing designer and I was more on the business side,” she said on The Kyle And Jackie O Show.
While he would not comment on the circumstances that led to Claire’s exit, Pip said he has fond memories of working with his former partner, whom he praised for being an “amazing designer” and was full of praise for how well they worked together.
Pip went on to provide an insight into how the business has changed since Claire’s departure and revealed that there are now many more people working on the brand’s designs.
“We got together and really kick-started PE Nation. But now there’s a team of… many, the design team is eight (people),” he told hosts Jackie O Henderson and Kyle Sandilands.
The designer revealed on Sunday that while she will remain a force at the brand, she will no longer serve in the role of creative director she took on following the departure of co-founder Claire Greaves in March.
Pip’s comments came weeks after she appeared to take a thinly veiled dig at Claire in a social media post amid rumours of a feud between them.
She took to Instagram to share a photo of herself backstage at PE Nation’s first Australian Fashion Week show since Claire’s departure.
In the caption accompanying the photo of herself and her smiling colleagues, she wrote in an apparent mocking gesture: “We did well. My favorite team of all time.”
Pip also recently deleted all traces of Claire from PE Nation’s social media in a seemingly revealing move.
The law erased years of posts promoting the sportswear brand and all traces of his former business partner from the site.
Countless photographs of the friends attending events together and promoting their brand have disappeared, as Pip begins a new chapter in her professional life.
Pip’s sports brand PE Nation confirmed Claire (right) was stepping down from the business in March, with Pip, 44, taking over as sole creative director.
She poignantly captioned her post: ‘The past has been celebrated and we now pave the way for a new beginning.
‘This new beginning has started by wiping the slate clean to usher in a new era @penation #penation.’
Following Claire’s shock departure, Pip has taken over as sole creative director and is giving the brand a major overhaul and relaunch.
At the time, PE Nation said in a statement that Claire would be “pursuing other creative projects” and taking her career in a new direction.
The brand told the The Telegraph newspaper‘After 10 years of running PE Nation with her friend and co-founder Pip Edwards, Claire Greaves has made the decision to step back from the day-to-day running of the business.
The shock decision ended one of Australian fashion’s longest-running relationships, and the friends have since been dogged by rumours of a feud.
‘Claire will remain on the board and retain her shareholding as the company continues to thrive in the very creative and visionary hands of Pip Edwards at the helm, alongside the board of directors.
‘The company has built and developed an extremely strong design and product team.
‘Pip and the company fully support Claire’s transition to pursue other creative projects and wish her all the best in her next chapter.’
Pip and Claire, who have recently been the target of split rumours, co-founded the sportswear brand in Sydney in 2015 and have grown it into a thriving global business.