COMO, Italy — Afer 30 years at the helm of fabric wholesaler and editeur Chivasso, co-founder Richard Schutte, told friends at Proposte that he will leave the company at year end. His exact future plans are not known at this time but Schutte, as CEO and his wife Ellen, founded Chivasso Holding BV, a private limited company registered in 2014 and located in The Hague It is active in the financial holding industry. After a 17 year run under the supportive management of JAB, this was always the plan for Schutte as per his contract in connection with the sale of Chivasso to JAB in late 2000. An official, more complete announcement of his departure will be made by JAB in October according to Chris Jacob Schminnes, President of JAB and Director of Chivasso. He is based in JAB headquarters in Bielefeld, Germany. Chivasso, the editeur, was founded in 1991 in the Netherlands by Schutte and his wife Ellen Steentjes (Stones). Under JAB’s management, Chivasso BV is still a growing interior fabrics and wallpaper editor with headquarters in Zoetermeer, the Netherlands, with showrooms world-wide. Although Schutte was the spark plug for Chivasso design, this responsibility has been assumed for several years by a young team of designers including Veerle van Houten based in The Hague. She was last seen shopping the halls of Proposte in May along with Schutte who casually mentioned to his colleagues and industry friends that he would be leaving JAB at year end. According to the Chivasso website, there are three brands under the Chivasso banner: ‘Chivasso,’ ‘Carlucci di Chivasso’ and ‘Easy’ by Chivasso. Chivasso products are modern, and can be used not only in young interiors but also in rich classical interiors. Easy by Chivasso is described as “beautiful simple fabrics to be used for everyday durable curtains or upholstery, without too many unnecessary frills.” Chivasso says it releases “two new collections each year, keeping up with the latest trends to ensure its collections are always new and innovative. Chivasso interiors reflect the Zeitgeist but are versatile enough to be timeless!” According to the Chivasso website, Schutte originally built up a successful business of four interior decoration shops together with his parents. A few years later in 1987 he decided, with the support of his wife Ellen, to start his own wholesale business. “Initially they sold their collections exclusively in the Netherlands but soon decided to expand their business which now spans the globe,” the website says. “They started creating their own collections under a new brand name: Chivasso. In 1991 the first collections were launched under the name Chivasso. By 1995 their collection was large enough to show at the Heimtextil Fair in Frankfurt, Germany. In 1999, contact was made with the Jab Anstoetz Group in Germany for possible collaboration. By the year 2000 the deal was done and JAB Anstoetz became the major shareholder.”