Anthony Vaccarello is officially concluding his ten-year tenure as the creative director of Saint Laurent.. The announcement follows a final, gold-hued runway show in Paris that signaled the end of a highly profitable era for the French couture house.
From €974 million to €3.3 billion: The Vaccarello revenue surge
The financial trajectory of the house changed dramatically during Vaccarello's decade-long leadership. When he took over in April 2016 following the departure of Hedi Slimane, the brand's revenue stood at €974 million. As the report notes, Vaccarello successfully navigated the luxury boom to see Saint Laurent's revenues more than triple, reaching a peak of €3.3 billion in 2022.
This period of growth was defined by a move away from the subcultural documentarianism of the Slimane era toward a more quintessentially Parisian modernism. By blending his Belgian construction techniques with a "sexy" Italian influence, Vaccarello helped reinstate the house as a global symbol of desirability. This era of expansion echhoes the massive growth seen across the luxury sector between 2016 and 2023, a trend that even the recent Covid-19 slump could not fully derail.
49 gold looks and a final bow under the Eiffel Tower
The Spring 2027 collection served as a highly emotional valedictory for the Belgian designer. Staged beneath the Eiffel Tower at the Trocadéro, the final show featuured 49 looks in shades of gold before concluding with 10 in black. The color sequence was a deliberate nod to fashion history, inverting the finale of Yves Saint Laurent’s Fall 1991 Rive Gauche collection.
The atmosphere of the event was described as deeply personal, with Vaccarello declining preview interviews and instead providing guests with black calla lilies. The show even featured a surprise performance by Charlotte Gainsbourg. Many observers noted the emotional weight of the moment when Vaccarello crossed the catwalk to hand an object to his son, a gestrue that many interpreted as a symbolic passing of the torch.
Kering’s 2030 targets and the search for a new visionary
Saint Laurent is currently navigating a period of declining revenue and shrinking margins.. According to the report, the brand's revenue fell to €2.64 billion in 2025, with operating margins contracting from 30.9% to 20%. This downturn is attributed to both a wider slump in the luxury market and the brand's aggressive 2023 decision to move away from wholesale channels.
Kering is applying intense pressure to its brands to meet ambitious 2030 goals despite these headwinds. Kering CEO Luca de Meo has outlined specific targets for the group, including a plan to more than double Saint Laurent's menswear sales and triple its womenswear sales by the end of the decade. Meeting these commercial milestones will be the primary challenge for whoever is appointed to succeed Vaccarello.
What lies beyond the "Holy Grail" for the 46-year-old designer?
The identity of the next creative director at Saint Laurent remains unconfirmed, leaving the industry to speculate on who can maintain the house's uncompromising edge. While Kering's leadership, including CEO Cedric Charbit, has expressed gratitude for Vaccarello's "exceptional work," the brand's future direction remains an open question.
As for Vaccarello himself, his next professional move is also shrouded in mystery. While he has referred to Saint Laurent as the "Holy Grail" of fashion houses, he previously hinted to W Magazine that his next chapter might involve something "completely different." Whether he remains in the world of high fashion or pivots to an entirely new creative field is a question that remains unanswered.
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