Is Anthony Vaccarello About To Replace Hedi Slimane At Saint Laurent?

Speculation is mounting that Hedi Slimane is set to leave his position as creative director at Saint Laurent, with Anthony Vaccarello rumoured to be lined up as his replacement.

According to WWD, the designer, who has headed up the venerable couture house for the past three years, is said to have failed to reach an agreement about the renewal of his contract with Kering (the company who owns the business).

Rumours have been circulating on the topic for several weeks, leading a spokesperson for the brand to describe them as ‘false speculation’ last week. However, it has since emerged that Saint Laurent have identified a potential replacement for Slimane: Belgian designer Anthony Vaccarello, who joined Versus Versace as creative director last year.

If the rumours are true, Slimane’s departure will be the latest in a series of high profile shake-ups in the fashion industry. Raf Simons hit the headlines last October when it was announced that he would be leaving his position as creative director of Dior, while Alber Elbaz and Alexander Wang have also left their positions at Lanvin and Balenciaga in the past six months.

Saint Laurent is yet to comment directly on the rumours surrounding Slimane and Vaccarello, instead announcing that it would be staging it’s A/W’16 menswear show at the Hollywood Palladium in LA next month.

Since joining the brand three years ago, Slimane has thoroughly re-invented the storied fashion house, overhauling its aesthetic and even changing its name. Crucially, he has boosted its profitability by drawing in a new, younger crowd, causing Saint Laurent’s profits to double in his first two years at the helm.

Despite the speculation, the brand’s next womenswear show will take place at Paris Fashion Week on March 7. Always a big event in the Paris show schedule, it now looks set to be one of the most talked about shows of the year.