Anthony Vaccarello’s ten-year tenure at Saint Laurent has ended, the French fashion house announced Friday. The label says it will announce a new creative director soon, but has not yet named a successor. For readers tracking the label, the immediate reference point is Vaccarello’s spring 2027 collection, shown in late September and widely believed to be his final one. The Cut reported the departure and collection.
A decade of signature styles
Vaccarello joined Saint Laurent in 2016, succeeding Hedi Slimane. The Cut describes Vaccarello’s designs as combining skin-baring looks, sharp tailoring and references to house signatures, particularly le smoking.
His departure closes a decade in which he also brought in brand ambassadors including Zoë Kravitz, Rosé, Hailey Bieber and Bella Hadid, and launched Saint Laurent Productions, an in-house film-production subsidiary. Those details reflect work beyond the runway, but the house has not said what its next creative director will change or continue.
A collection that signaled a farewell
The spring 2027 collection was presented in late September. Before the departure was confirmed, The Cut’s fashion critic-at-large Cathy Horyn pointed to the show as a sign Vaccarello might be leaving. She described 49 gold variations on Yves Saint Laurent’s greatest hits, followed by ten opulent gowns in black. The presentation also included chandeliers suspended by cranes over a runway resembling wet pavement, with the Eiffel Tower in the distance.
The collection can serve as a reference for following what happens next, not as a guarantee that the incoming designer will preserve or reject any particular element. The announcement confirms a change in leadership; it does not announce a new aesthetic or a replacement plan for Vaccarello’s design choices.
Kering CEO Luca de Meo thanked Vaccarello for his contribution and said his creative vision and exacting standards had strengthened the influence of the house. Vaccarello’s own farewell appeared as a highlight reel on his personal Instagram, captioned “A bientôt.” The montage included runway shows, campaigns and brand figures such as Connor Storrie, Chloë Sevigny and Catherine Deneuve.
What to watch for next
Until Saint Laurent names its new creative director, readers can compare future collections with the spring 2027 show and with the elements they associate with Vaccarello’s tenure—such as sharp tailoring, skin-baring designs and le smoking references. That offers a concrete way to notice what changes, without assuming in advance that a new appointment means a complete reset.
Which parts of Vaccarello’s Saint Laurent would you most want to see continue: the tailoring, the house references or something else?
Source image: The Cut.