@highsnobietystyle: Everyone figured that @gallerydepartment was calling it quits when founder @josuethomas posted a long farewell message on his company's Instagram page in September 2021, neatly leading into the launch of Chateau Josué a month later. Except that Gallery Dept. wasn't shutting down. It's still going.⁠ ⁠ It's all quite confusing, so here's what happened.⁠ ⁠ The goodbye letter followed a "going out of business" sale held on Gallery Dept.'s website, with leftover stock presumably being purged at prices that didn't really reflect the usual overstock liquidation you see when a company calls it quits. But, still, Gallery Dept. wouldn't be a luxury brand if it was affordable.⁠ ⁠ Thomas' letter, which came next, sounded pretty final. "I truly appreciate your business and support," he said. "I am choosing to continue the practice of being an artist and withdraw myself from the fashion industry."⁠ ⁠ Then, Chateau Josué launched on Instagram, even though it was never quite clear what it was, exactly. The account has since gone private again but it appeared to be an event/gallery space hosted by Thomas and pals.⁠ ⁠ Thomas kept uploading imagery of his Chateau Josué merch on his own Instagram page — which is, confusingly, titled "CHATEAU JOSUE" — until February, when he posted a large photo collage with "IN LOVING MEMORY" text on the bottom that implied Gallery Dept. had a death date of February 4, 2022.⁠ ⁠ That's pretty weird, because you'd have thought that Gallery Dept. was shutting down back in September, when Thomas, the most visible face of the brand, announced its end.⁠ ⁠ But then, a month later, Thomas announced the second Gallery Dept. x Lanvin collab... suggesting that Gallery Dept. would continue.⁠ ⁠ Hit the link in our bio to read more.⁠ ⁠ ✍️: @trasparenti⁠ 📷️: Gallery Dept. #hsstyle