Saint Laurent has officially announced that creative director Anthony Vaccarello is stepping down after a decade at the helm.. His departure follows a final runway presentation in Paris that signaled the end of a transformative era for the French couture house.
The massive revenue climb from €974 million to €3.3 billion
Anthony Vaccarello’s tenure at Saint Laurent was marked by an unprecedented financial trajectory. According to the report, the designer took over in April 2016 following Hedi Slimane’s departure,inheriting a brand that had seen revenues rise to €974 million by 2015. Under Vaccarello’s leadership, Saint Laurent’s revenues more than tripled, reaching a peak of €3.3 billion in 2022.
This growth was fueled by a distinct aesthetic that blended Belgian construction with Sicilian-inspired sensuality. Before his time at Saint Laurent, Vaccarello had already made waves as the creative director of Versace’s second line, Versus, and was a winner of the 2011 Andam Fashion Award. His ability to modernize the house's codes helped elevate Saint Laurent to the forefront of global desirability.
A final farewell of 49 gold looks under the Eiffel Tower
The designer’s final collection for the Spring 2027 season served as a dramatic, visual bookend to his career. Staged beneath the Eiffel Tower with towering candlelit chandeliers, the show featured 49 looks in gold tones before concluding with 10 black ensembles. This sequence intentionally inverted the finale of Yves Saint Laurent’s Fall 1991 Rive Gauche collection, which had famously ended in gold.
The atmosphere of the event was described as deeply personal and emotional. As reported by the source, the show featured a surprise performance by Charlotte Gainsbourg and a soundtrack by Miles Davis. In a moment that many observers interpreted as a symbolic passing of the torch, Vaccarello crossed the catwalk to hand something to his son during the finale.
Kering’s ambitious 2030 targets for jewelry and menswear
Kering now faces a high-stakes transition period as it searches for a successor to maintain the brand's momentum. While the house saw massive success, the report notes that Saint Laurent’s revenues declined to €2.64 billion in 2025, partly due to a strategic move away from wholesale and a broader slowdown in the luxury sector. Kering CEO Luca de Meo has set aggressive commercial milestones for the brand to hit by 2030.
These targets include tripling jewelry sales, doubling menswear sales, and doubling sales to Very Important Clients (VICs). The incoming creative director will be tasked with not only maintaining the brand's high-fashion edge but also meeting these specific, high-growth financial objectives in an increasingly competitive market.
What lies beyond the "Holy Grail" for Anthony Vaccarello?
The fashion industry is left with several lingering questions regarding both the designer's future and the house's identity. While Saint Laurent has promised to announce new leadership soon, the identity of the successor remains unconfirmed.. There is also significant speculation about whether Vaccarello will remain within the Kering group or pursue the "something completely different" he hinted at in previous interviews.
Furthermore, observers are watching to see if the brand can sustain its operating margins as it continues to pivot its business model. With Vaccarello moving on, the question remains whether the next creative lead can replicate his unique ability to balance provocative creativity with massive commercial scale.
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