Hedi Slimane exits Saint Laurent, ending ‘unique chapter’ for French fashion house

Creative director transformed the brand, dismaying many in the fashion establishment but winning it waves of new fans, during a controversial four-year reign often rumoured to be about to end

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French fashion designer Hedi Slimane acknowledges the applause at the end of the Yves Saint Laurent spring/summer 2013 ready-to-wear collection show in Paris. The creative director is to leave the French fashion house after four years. Photo: AFP

Published: 3:30pm, 1 Apr 2016Updated: 3:38pm, 1 Apr 2016

The rumours came and went, but now it’s finally official. Hedi Slimane, fashion’s most controversial designer, who led Yves Saint Laurent’s rebrand as Saint Laurent Paris, has left the label after almost four years.

“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,” said Francois-Henri Pinault, chief executive and chairman of Saint Laurent owner Kering Group, as he announced the move in Paris on Thursday evening.

There were murmurings earlier this year that Slimane was leaving and would be replaced by Antony Vaccharello, but Kering issued a denial.

A look from Slimane’s autumn/winter 2015/16 ready-to-wear collection for Saint Laurent Paris. Photo: EPA

In retrospect, Slimane’s last show in Paris felt like a swan song. He reduced the already limited seating for the Saint Laurent catwalk show to around 100 (one of them being the South China Morning Post), and presented a collection with 1980s and ’90s echoes that was exceptionally glamorous, incredibly crafted and aggressive – skirts were, again exceptionally short.