Bethpage, NY—Cynthia Tella, Vice President of Design for KravetCouture, the fabric wholesale giant’s highest end label, left the company on an amicable basis in early June, F&FI has learned.

It is the end of a brilliant 15-year run for Tella making her one of the most highly regarded and highest paid designers in the high-end decorative fabric world today.

While Cary Kravet, fourth generation owner, had no comment about her departure, Tella says that working for Kravet “represented the best 15 years of my working life. As a result, I’ll always feel part of the Kravet family no matter what else I may do.”

Her goal now is to find a new job working for a design driven company as a brand builder and design executive.

The idea behind KravetCouture was to bring fresh looks to the market not available anywhere else; couturier fashion for the home.

Her most recent collection for KravetCouture is ‘Lux’ which was just introduced. The average price of the KravetCouture collection to the designer is $125,00 a yard, she says.

Tella had been with Kravet as an employee for the last seven years and prior to that she ran her own design company in Medfield, MA where she continues to live with her family. Originally, Kravet supported her studio as her sole client. KravetCouture unveiled its first collection under the direction of Cynthia Tella Design Inc. at a multi-media presentation in January, 2002. Her company started in 2000 and ended in 2008 when she joined Kravet as a fulltime employee.

Her original studio on West Street in Medfield will be closed but the work there will be brought to a new location where Kravet is consolidating its design efforts for all brands. Tella will continue to work for Kravet for the next three months in that transition.

Prior to starting her design firm in 2000, she was Vice President of Design at Robert Allen, reporting to the original Principals Bob Weissman and Alen Wyatt from 1985-2000. Her first job after graduating The School of Visual Design (1979) was with Lee Jofa from 1977-1985. Kravet later purchased this brand.

The story on the street is that Kravet is consolidating its design department into a New York City studio location with Scott Kravet, Vice President of Design in command. With Tella leaving, all design activity will be monitored by Scott Kravet.