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Saint Laurent has today confirmed the departure of Anthony Vaccarello, who has led the luxury house’s creative direction since 2016.
The news follows weeks of speculation that Vaccarello would be departing, and a Paris Fashion Week show that many attendees interpreted as a gilded farewell.
Saint Laurent’s parent company Kering today confirmed the news, saying that Vaccarello had played a key role in the brand’s development and had helped to “strengthen its identity and influence across the worlds of fashion and culture”.
Vaccarello presented his last Paris Fashion Week show earlier this month, covering some of Saint Laurent’s most recognisable designs in gold for SS27, with metallic biker jackets, safari jackets, trenches, pencil skirts and dresses dominating the runway.
The show took place beneath an enormous chandelier opposite the Eiffel Tower, with the set inspired by the ballroom of the Hotel InterContinental, where Yves Saint Laurent used to stage his couture shows.
As the collection progressed, gold gave way to black, with the final looks becoming increasingly dramatic. Layers of black tulle and organza eventually engulfed the body, creating a stark contrast with the metallic looks that had come before.
This year, the fashion house has been widely celebrating Vaccarello’s 10th anniversary as Creative Director, with the designer appearing on magazine covers as recently as a few weeks ago. He is also one of six nominees for Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Awards, with the winner set to be announced on 30 November. In addition, he is due to receive the International Designer of the Year award at the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards on 2 November.
Luca de Meo, CEO of Kering, said: “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Anthony for his contribution to Saint Laurent over the past ten years. Through his creative vision and exacting standards, he has contributed to strengthening the enduring influence of one of France’s greatest couture houses, as we embark on a new chapter in its history.”
Cédric Charbit, President and CEO of Saint Laurent, added: “I would like to warmly thank Anthony for his ten years of dedication to the house. During his tenure, Anthony took Saint Laurent on a remarkable trajectory, elevating the house to the forefront of desirability and image, while accomplishing exceptional work both creatively and through his cultural impact.”
Saint Laurent has not confirmed who will succeed Vaccarello as Creative Director, although Chloé’s current Creative Director, Chemena Kamali, is widely expected to take on the role. Kamali previously worked at Saint Laurent under Vaccarello as Women’s Ready-to-Wear Design Director from 2016 to 2023.
Today, Saint Laurent operates more than 300 stores worldwide. In its latest financial statement, Kering noted that the brand had delivered a “solid performance in North America and Western Europe and benefited from strong client demand, as the new collections continued to gain traction.”
Main image credit: Alamy