In recent years, the fashion industry has undergone many changes from concepts and collection directions to the creative directors themselves. But why are there so many departures lately?
Choosing a creative director means leading a fashion house for a specific period, managing the creative side, increasing brand desirability, and delivering what the audience expects. However, recently there have been many struggles, making it common to see creative directors entering and leaving abruptly.
The Rumor: Anthony Vaccarello Is Leaving
Rumors have been swirling that Anthony Vaccarello..after a decade of relentless creative dedication, whose designs and vision shaped a golden era etched into the memory of every follower of his continuous evolution..is stepping down. His show on Tuesday, September 29, was his latest show. As Vaccarello said,
“A light shines all the more brightly because we know it cannot be held. What passes sometimes leaves more light than what remains”
This poetic metaphor is instinctively felt, signaling vaccarello’s departure from the house. Shades of gold accented with subtle touches of red, black, and hints of orange defined his latest runway under the venue’s glowing chandeliers. Everything felt surreal as the runway opened up directly facing the shimmering Eiffel Tower, a truly mesmerizing Parisian backdrop.
Even though Vaccarello gave so much to the house, an air of questioning swept through the audience: why leave after a decade just as the brand’s vision had completely solidified? There is no concrete answer yet, but Anthony’s remarkable efforts skyrocketed the house’s revenue from €1 billion to €3 billion in a single decade. Even amidst the recent luxury market slowdown, the decline remained marginal. From his appointment in April 2016, his unwavering focus on fusing Parisian elegance with cinematic moods proved to be a highly effective strategy, anchoring Saint Laurent in a more cohesive, deeply rooted identity.
Golden Era and beyond
Anthony transformed the house into one of Kering’s most stable and powerful pillars, establishing one of the strongest creative tenures in Saint Laurent’s history. Sharp tailoring and modern, edgy luxury defined Vaccarello’s collections, embedded in the finest details
The show felt like a grand metaphor for a “golden era coming to a close,” with rumors that he handed over the keys to the house at the finale. Has Anthony Vaccarello’s era at Saint Laurent truly come to an end?
Brand loyalists have pointed out that the fashion industry is currently suffering from a severe identity gap, a contagion affecting several historic houses. Their biggest fear now is that Saint Laurent might fall victim to this same instability following Vaccarello’s departure, mirroring what happened to Balenciaga after Demna’s exit, as well as Gucci, Moschino, and others. Having given Saint Laurent so much from reviving the iconic 1980s Le Smoking Power dressing to reinterpreting heritage through his own distinct lens.
The question remains: will the house maintain the sales and stability that Anthony worked so hard to keep, or will it catch the industry’s contagion?
