Hedi Slimane Is Officially Leaving Saint Laurent - And The New Creative Director Is Anthony Vaccarello

Parisian fashion house Saint Laurent has officially confirmed that creative director Hedi Slimane is leaving the brand, appointing Versus Versace designer Anthony Vaccarello.

Parisian fashion house Saint Laurent has officially confirmed that creative director Hedi Slimane is leaving the brand and that Versus Versace designer Anthony Vaccarello will indeed replace him at the helm. 

The rumours had been swirling for months as Hedi had reportedly ‘checked out’ of his role, flying the fash pack out to his hometown, LA, to present his pre-fall collections rather than spending time in the brand’s Paris HQ.

But then, as soon as he would whip the rumours up, he would quash them - his stunning, silent couture collection at Paris Fashion Week (which was his first haute line for the brand) was a smash hit with editors and means that he departs the house on a high.

While we could all see the exit coming, it’s a surprise all the same.

‘What Yves Saint Laurent has achieved over the past four years represents a unique chapter in the history of the house,’ François-Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering, the luxury company which owns Saint Laurent, said in a statement.

‘I am very grateful to Hedi Slimane, and the whole Yves Saint Laurent team, for having set the path that the house has successfully embraced, and which will grant longevity to this legendary brand.’

In his four years at the label, Hedi turned what was then Yves Saint Laurent into one of the fashion industry’s edgiest, most influential labels and a top commercial performer, too. With Hedi at the helm, sales had almost doubled – we blame it on all those IT bags he convinced us to buy.

His shows had the atmosphere of rock concerts (and the attitude to go with them) as season after season he stuck with his guns, presenting a glam, grungy aesthetic that the A-list adored.

What Slimane will do next remains to be seen, but you can bet it will be interesting – he already leads an almost second life as a photographer on the weekends, photographing Cali’s alt music stars and Hollywood talents like Dylan Lee, in underground venues.

A successor was announced in double-quick time, with Anthony Vaccarello, the Belgian designer previously fronting Donatella’s Versus Versace line, named as a shoo-in from the start. 

Are you pleased with the appointment of Anthony Vaccarello at Saint Laurent? Tell us what you think on Twitter @MarieClaireUK.