By Jennifer McShane
02nd Apr 2016
02nd Apr 2016
In what has been deemed one of the worst-kept secrets in the industry in recent months, Saint Laurent confirmed that Hedi Slimane is officially parting company from the fashion house.
“What Yves Saint Laurent has achieved over the past four years represents a unique chapter in the history of the house.?I am very grateful to?Hedi Slimane, and the whole Yves Saint Laurent team, for having set the path that the house has successfully embraced, and which will grant longevity to this legendary brand,”?Fran?ois-Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering (the fashion house’s parent company), said in a statement.
Slimane has helmed the reins as Saint Laurent’s creative director for four years, bringing the house into a new chapter of edgy, rock-n-roll-inspired fashions that shook up its runways. The creative director’s major changes to the fashion house also extended as far as its iconic name – it was he who dropped the ‘Yves’ from ‘Yves Saint Laurent.’ He also redesigned the logo (a design aesthetic that proved phenomenally successful) and moved the design studio from LA to Paris.
The statement goes on to say that he has completed a “four-year mission, which has led to the complete repositioning of the brand,” yet a new handover could be tricky to maneuver after such a notable?creative reign. Belgian designer and current Versus Versace creative director Anthony Vaccarello is rumoured to be the frontrunner for?his replacement.
Slimane accomplished a significant amount in a relatively short space of time, transforming the brand’s reputation (his designs are a go-to for the biggest stars today) as well as its financial fortunes. Saint Laurent is now the fastest-growing line in the luxury portfolio of its parent company, Kering, reporting slightly less than 1 billion euros, or about $1.14 billion, in revenue for 2015, up 38% from 2014, according to the New York Times.
It was his signature, impossibly cool, glamorous style that modernised the brand; from tailored jumpsuits to crystal-embellished gowns,?cool women everywhere – Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley among many others – wore his creations on the red carpet, and we’ve picked 15 of the best for you in our gallery above to mark his time with the iconic brand.
As the industry continues its game of musical chairs, all eyes will be on the fashion house and its new creative director.
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