Legendary iPhone designer Jony Ive has been hanging out with celebs, models, and designers since announcing his departure from Apple

Nicholas Kirkwood, Richard Biedul and Jony Ive David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

Apple's legendary former chief design officer Jony Ive appears to have formally left Apple after his profile disappeared from Apple's leadership page this week.
The departure of Ive was first announced by Apple back in June, with the company's press release saying Ive would leave "later this year."
Ive said he would set up his own design shop, but since the announcement has been spotting enjoying himself with celebrities, models, and fashion designers at glamorous events in his native UK.
Ive played a pivotal role in designing Apple devices like the iPhone, iPod and iPad.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Even business icons need a break.

Apple's legendary former chief design officer Jony Ive looks to have left Apple for good after his profile disappeared from Apple's leadership page this week.

Since his departure was first announced, it looks like he's been having fun.

Ive formed one of the most fruitful business and tech partnerships ever seen with the late Steve Jobs, playing an instrumental role in the design of the iPhone, iPod and iPad. His relentless productivity continued well into the Tim Cook era, and he was key to the development of the Apple Watch.

But his departure from Apple was announced in June and was slated to take place "later this year." Ive said he planned to start his own design firm, LoveFrom, with Apple as one of its clients.

In the months since, Ive has been spotted mingling with numerous creatives and celebrities around his home country of England. Here, Business Insider takes a glance at what he's been up to.

Jony Ive is the designer behind Apple's most iconic products of recent times

Getty Images/Michael Kovac

Ive, just as much as late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs, was the driving force behind products such iPhone, iPod and iPad

While studying design at Newcastle Polytechnic in the northeast of England, he had an epiphany while designing on an Apple Mac.

"I discovered the Mac and felt I had a connection with the people who were making this product. I suddenly understood what a company was, or was supposed to be."

And he continued to exert influence after Tim Cook took over the top job, although he reportedly became disaffected with Apple's direction under Cook

Stephen Lam/Reuters

Though Ive's day-to-day involvement with Apple reportedly lessened after the Apple Watch launched, Ive still helped shape Apple's product design well into the post-Steve Jobs era. He was a key figure behind the Watch's design, but reportedly felt that Tim Cook wasn't as interested in design as Jobs (a report Cook called "absurd").

See the rest of the story at Business Insider