Shake-Up Claims Its 2nd Victim : Maryll Lanvin Quits Fashion House

Top designer Maryll Lanvin has quit traditional fashion house Lanvin, the second victim of a shake-up in French haute couture since a new generation of businessmen bought into the industry.

Maryll Lanvin, married to the nephew of original founder Jeanne Lanvin, cited personal reasons Thursday for leaving the century-old fashion house. But a Lanvin press spokeswoman acknowledged that her departure fitted in with a reorganization masterminded by the house’s new British partner, Midland Bank.

Earlier this month Marc Bohan, veteran designer of Christian Dior, was curtly dismissed after nearly 30 years with the house--no longer considered a viable asset by young entrepreneur Bernard Arnault, whose luxury goods group LVMH now owns Dior.

In his place came rising Italian star Gianfranco Ferre, whose ready-to-wear flair is likely to appeal to a wider market than Bohan’s forte--extravagantly expensive individual haute couture.

Midland, which put an end to Lanvin’s long independence when it bought 34% of the fashion house in January, decided Maryll Lanvin would have to go if the house’s faltering ready-to-wear and perfume sectors were to be returned to profit.

Although she is only in her 40s, like Bohan her clothes were distinguished by good taste and quiet chic rather than revolutionary invention. As such she was expendable.

Lanvin has no successor in mind yet and will be forced to cancel its collection for the July haute couture shows.