Nicole Farhi is "very sad" her eponymous label is going into administration.
The fashion designer - who gave up her role as creative director in 2010 - was left reeling yesterday (03.07.13) when she received an email from administrators informing her that the business was bankrupt.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Nicole said: "I'm just very, very moved and sad. It's been 30 years of my life building it and I loved every minute I spent at the company.
"I stopped working there almost a year ago now and I was hoping it was in good hands and it would carry on - maybe it will, we never know.
"I knew it was not easy, but it's not easy for a lot of fashion companies at the moment."
Advisory and restructuring specialists Zolfo Cooper will now continue to trade Nicole Farhi while searching for a potential new buyer.
Nicole and her ex-husband Stephen Marks founded the upmarket fashion and homeware label in 1982 as a sister company to French Connection.
Joanna Sykes, former designer at Aquascutum, took over as creative director in September 2012.