Derek Lam has left his post as creative director at Tod's.

The San Francisco-born designer joined the brand in 2006, one year after he first created a capsule collection for Tod's, but according to WWD his fall collection, presented during Milan Fashion Week last month, was his last for the Italian leather goods house.

While it is understood that his Tod's contract would have been up in September, it is unclear why Derek has left the company six months early.

Speaking on his appointment to the company in 2006, Derek revealed his hopes to inject a "sense of youthfulness" into the brand.

He said: "I think it was a matter of being comfortable with how each of us, as individuals, work - getting more familiar with what the Tod's world is and spending much time with Diego [Della Valle, Tod's chairman and chief executive officer] and understanding his vision for the brand going forward. I hope to inject a sense of youthfulness and new ideas with fabrics and colours. I have a strong point of view about what a customer wants from a luxury brand: It has to be witty, unpretentious and stand or the heritage of beautifully made product."