As Zac Posen calls it quits, a look at his most memorable designs - in pictures

The fashion designer, who has dressed first ladies and Hollywood superstars, has announced that his company is ceasing operations

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  Zac Posen and model Naomi Campbell on the runway after his autumn 2015 New York fashion week show. AP

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  Zac Posen dressed Katie Holmes for the 2019 Met Gala. AP

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  For the 2016 Met Gala, Claire Danes donned a strapless Zac Posen gown interwoven with fibre optics. It took 500 hours to make.

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  Oprah Winfrey wore a sparkly Zac Posen gown to present the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. Getty Images

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  Gwyneth Paltrow wore a nude mermaid-style dress by Zac Posen to the 2007 Oscars. Courtesy FilmMagic

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  Zac Posen dressed Rihanna for her first annual Diamond Ball in 2014. Courtesy FilmMagic

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  Michelle Obama wore a sparkly Zac Posen gown to the annual White House Correspondents Association Gala in 2015. Courtesy Getty Images

He has dressed first ladies, music stars and Hollywood royalty, but last night Zac Posen announced that he was calling it quits.

The fashion designer, a red-carpet favourite for the best part of two decades, famed for his figure-hugging gowns, said he was “deeply saddened” that the company could not continue operations, citing an increasingly challenging fashion and retail landscape.

In a statement, he explained that: “"The management team ... worked extremely hard to navigate the increasingly challenging fashion and retail landscape. We are disappointed that these efforts have not been successful."

A graduate of Central Saint Martins, Posen propagated an aesthetic that harked back to the glamour of old Hollywood, and quickly gained a following among A-listers, dressing the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow, Uma Thurman, Kate Winslet, Naomi Campbell, Rihanna and Katie Holmes.

Among his many memorable looks was a nude mermaid-like gown worn by Gwyneth Paltrow for the Oscars in 2007, an off-the-shoulder gown with a brightly sequined skirt donned by Oprah Winfrey at the Oscars in 2011, and a Cinderella-inspired dress fitted with fibre optics that lit up in the dark, worn by Claire Danes at the 2016 Met Gala. He designed the blush-toned wedding reception gown that Princess Eugenie wore for her 2018 nuptials, and in 2015, decked Michelle Obama in a shiny silver-grey belted dress for the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner.

Designer Zac Posen says that he is “deeply saddened that the journey of nearly 20 years has come to an end”. AP

On Instagram last night, he posted a picture with his team, with a caption that read: “I want to express my appreciation to our extraordinary team and for all those who have stood by me and the brand. I owe a great deal of gratitude for their unwavering support for and dedication to the Company. I am grateful to the team who lent their incomparable talent and commitment along the way. I remain incredibly proud of what we created and hopeful for the future. Love ZP.”