Anthony Vaccarello Leaves Saint Laurent After a Decade: Kering Confirms Exit, Successor Yet to Be Named

Saint Laurent has confirmed that creative director Anthony Vaccarello is leaving the house after ten years. The announcement came on Friday, October 9, 2026, following weeks of industry speculation that intensified after his spring/summer 2027 show at Paris Fashion Week on September 29, now confirmed as his last.

Parent group Kering and Saint Laurent confirmed the exit in a press release. Kering CEO Luca de Meo thanked Vaccarello for his contribution over the past ten years. Saint Laurent president and CEO Cédric Charbit praised his dedication and said he took the house to the forefront of desirability and cultural impact. The house said its new creative leadership would be announced soon. No successor and no next role for Vaccarello have been confirmed.

Vaccarello, a Belgian-Italian designer, took over in 2016 after Hedi Slimane's exit, having previously led Versus Versace while building his own label, launched in 2009. During his tenure, Saint Laurent became one of Kering's most profitable and stable brands, with reports putting its sales at roughly three times their level at the start of his tenure and the business at around $3 billion as of March 2025.

He built a consistent vision around sensual, sharp silhouettes, revisiting specific periods of Yves Saint Laurent's archive for a contemporary wardrobe. In 2023 he launched Saint Laurent Productions, a film arm whose projects include Emilia Pérez. The house has also been among the Lyst Index's top five hottest brands for ten consecutive quarters, according to RUSSH.

Saint Laurent has not named a successor. Industry speculation, as reported by RUSSH, has centred on Chemena Kamali, currently creative director at Chloé, who previously worked at Saint Laurent as womenswear design director under Vaccarello. This is rumour only and has not been confirmed by Kering or the house.

Designers rarely leave a house at a peak, and Kering, which reported a return to growth in the first half of 2026, now has to manage a high-profile creative transition at one of its key brands. Whoever takes over will be expected to build on Vaccarello's commercial success while preserving the glamour that defined his era.

This story is based on reports from The National, W Magazine, RUSSH, USA Today and others as of October 10, 2026, and may be updated.