Following his opulent and gilded spring/summer 2027 Saint Laurent show, Anthony Vaccarello is departing as the brand’s creative director after more than a decade. The news was confirmed today in a statement from Kering and by Vaccarello, who shared a video to Instagram.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Anthony for his contribution to Saint Laurent over the past 10 years,” Luca de Meo, CEO of Kering, said. “Through his creative vision and exacting standards, he has contributed to strengthening the enduring influence of one of France’s greatest couture houses, as we embark on a new chapter in its history.”
Bella Hadid at Saint Laurent’s fall/winter 2026 show.
Vaccarello joined Saint Laurent in 2016, following Hedi Slimane’s four-year tenure. Where Slimane leaned into indie sleaze and rock ’n’ roll, Vaccarello found his way into the house through its sensuality: sharp tailoring, a little (or a lot of) skin, and clothes that knew exactly what they were doing.
His continual reimagining of Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking suit is a case in point, as are the barely-there viral PVC derby shoes from his latest men’s show. Vaccarello’s greatest strength was his ability to stay faithful to the house founder’s vision while making it distinctly modern.
Adèle Exarchopoulos, Zoë Kravitz, and Hailey Bieber at Vaccarello’s final Saint Laurent show.
The designer also expanded the brand outside of the runway. Vaccarello cultivated a dedicated celebrity following, from Zoë Kravitz and Hailey Bieber to Rosé and Bella Hadid, who gravitated toward his minimal yet ’80s-inflected pieces on the red carpet. At the 2026 Met Gala alone, Vaccarello created looks for Kravitz, Bieber, Madonna, and Doja Cat. In 2023, the designer launched Saint Laurent Productions, fashion’s first in-house film production subsidiary.
Saint Laurent will soon share news about its creative leadership.
