(Photo: Wire Image) According to fashion designer Alexis Phifer, rapper Kanye West‘s fiancee of nearly 2 years, the engagement is off.

“It’s always sad when things like this end, and we remain friends,” Phifer told People.com. “I wish him the best in his future and all of his endeavors. He’s one of the most talented people I’ve ever met.”

Alexis was reportedly was spotted on the red carpet without her engagement ring at an “Evenings in Vogue” event on this past Thursday night (Apr. 17th) in New York, where her clothing line, Ghita, was featured.

“They’d been having problems,” a friend of Kanye’s revealed. “Kanye is really focused on his show; he’s putting everything into the show right now. Alexis is a nice girl, but Kanye has been going through a rough time. They hit a rough patch and for now they’ve split. I haven’t seen [Alexis] around at all the last few times I’ve seen him recently.”

Kanye’s rep hasn’t responded to this story as of yet.