Saint Laurent has confirmed the departure of Anthony Vaccarello, ending a 10-year tenure that reshaped the house’s image across fashion, film, art and culture. The Paris house announced the news on Friday and said it would reveal new creative leadership soon.
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Vaccarello, 44, joined Saint Laurent in 2016 and spent the following decade defining a highly controlled visual language around sharp tailoring, leather, faux fur, bold colour, fine dresses, heavy jewelry and high heels. His runway shows became major Paris Fashion Week events, often staged near the Eiffel Tower with large-scale sets.
His Spring 2027 presentation intensified speculation about his exit. The all-gold collection appeared beneath three monumental chandeliers with the Eiffel Tower visible nearby, giving the show the atmosphere of a final chapter.
Luca de Meo, chief executive officer of Kering, thanked Vaccarello for his contribution during the past decade and credited his creative vision and exacting standards with strengthening Saint Laurent’s influence. Cédric Charbit, president and chief executive officer of Saint Laurent, also praised the designer’s impact on the house’s desirability, image and cultural reach.
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Vaccarello also expanded Saint Laurent beyond clothing. In 2023, he established Saint Laurent Productions, which has worked with filmmakers including Jim Jarmusch, Pedro Almodóvar and Jacques Audiard. He also launched Saint Laurent Editions, focused on books, fanzines and fine art, along with the Saint Laurent Babylone retail and gallery space in Paris.
His fashion career began after studying sculpture at La Cambre in Brussels. He won first place at the Hyères International Festival of Fashion and Photography in 2006, later worked at Fendi, launched his own label in Paris in 2009 and won the ANDAM Fashion Award in 2011. Donatella Versace brought him to Versus in 2013.
Industry speculation has now centered on Chemena Kamali, currently creative director at Chloé. Kamali previously served as women’s ready-to-wear design director at Saint Laurent under Vaccarello from 2016 to 2023.
Vaccarello will receive the International Designer of the Year award at the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards on November 2 in New York. He also holds a nomination for Designer of the Year at the Fashion Awards in London on November 30. Saint Laurent now enters a major creative transition as Kering prepares to announce the next designer who will guide the house.
