Anthony Vaccarello is expected to leave Saint Laurent after ten years as creative director, bringing one of fashion’s longest current designer tenures to a close. His Spring Summer 2027 show in Paris on September 29 increasingly reads as the final collection of his time at the house.
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Reports of Vaccarello’s departure surfaced earlier in September and gathered momentum ahead of the Paris show, with multiple industry sources pointing to his exit after the collection. The house has remained silent on the matter, but the circumstances surrounding the presentation gave the reports added weight.
Saint Laurent appointed Vaccarello creative director in April 2016 following Hedi Slimane’s departure. Over the next decade, he established a clear visual direction around sharp tailoring, narrow silhouettes, leather, eveningwear and increasingly cinematic presentations. His tenure also coincided with major commercial expansion for the house.
The designer expanded his role beyond fashion during that period. Saint Laurent launched Saint Laurent Productions in 2023, placing the house directly inside film production and giving Vaccarello another creative platform. The division has since become an increasingly visible part of Saint Laurent’s cultural activity.
Attention around his future intensified during the summer as reports connected Chloé creative director Chemena Kamali with Saint Laurent. Kamali previously worked at the house as design director before leaving in 2023 to take charge of Chloé. Saint Laurent has made no announcement regarding a successor.
Spring Summer 2027 arrived with far more significance than a regular seasonal presentation. Vaccarello skipped his customary backstage conversation with journalists and instead sent dark purple flowers with a handwritten note describing the collection as deeply personal and emotional. He wrote that he had carried the idea for a long time and finally felt ready to present it.
Gold dominated much of the collection. Vaccarello applied it across trench coats, pencil skirts, safari jackets, cocktail dresses and tailored pieces using organza, lace, chiffon, brocade, jacquard, metallic cotton and latex. He closed the runway with a sequence of black looks before Charlotte Gainsbourg performed and joined him as the audience rose for an ovation.
The final moments strengthened the sense of an ending. Vaccarello walked toward the front row and handed his five-year-old son Luca what appeared to be a set of keys, though his publicist described the object as a good-luck charm. His show notes ended with a reflection on light, transience and what remains after something passes.
Saint Laurent has yet to formally confirm Vaccarello’s departure, but the Spring Summer 2027 show carried many of the signs of a farewell. After a decade at the house, the collection appears set to stand as the final chapter of his tenure.
