Hedi Slimane exits Saint Laurent; Anthony Vaccarello hired

[haydn]

Kering just reported that sales were up another 31% for the first three months of 2016 (prior to announcing Hedi was leaving), while Gucci reported a 3% for the same period (and bottega losing 8%).

They didn't mention Hedi leaving in the report, but did touch on Vaccarello presenting in October.

I bet Pinault is kicking himself right now.

 

[Nymphaea]

Is Hedi Slimane Looking for a Backer?

Could Hedi Slimane be looking for an investor to back his namesake fashion house? The designer, who earlier this month parted ways with Saint Laurent after a four-year tenure, was recently spotted at the Mayhoola for Investments offices in Doha. It is understood the Qatari-based fund is eyeing a further growth of its luxury and fashion portfolio. According to a market source, the designer, who heated up the storied French house under the Kering umbrella, may have discussed funding of his own line with Mayhoola. After his first stint at Yves Saint Laurent, from which he resigned in 2000, Slimane pursued exclusive negotiations with the brand’s parent, then known as Gucci Group, for the launch of a label under his own moniker, but eventually signed on with Dior. He exited that brand in 2007 and pursued a photography and art career before returning to fashion in 2012 at the creative helm of YSL, which he rechristened Saint Laurent, overhauling the label from his home base in Los Angeles. Mayhoola already controls Valentino and Italian men’s wear brand Pal Zileri and has a stake in accessories label Anya Hindmarch. According to Les Echos, Mayhoola is also looking at the Balmain dossier. The source speculated that a potential arrival of Slimane at either Balmain or Valentino was less likely. The brands continue to gain momentum under the lead of, respectively, Olivier Rousteing, and duo Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli.

wwd

 

[haydn]

BoF Exclusive | How Hedi Slimane Presaged Fashion's Instagram Obsession

Full article on BOF today. Interesting to note however;

California has been a source of intense pleasure and inspiration for Slimane, and his home for eight years, but his eye is moving east again. He’s about to become bicoastal, moving into a new home in New York, and is looking forward to exploring the city thoroughly for the first time since the late '90s.

“I possibly really will rediscover it,” he says. “I used to spend so much time there in the late '80s and early '90s, which was such a great period in New York. I haven’t been spending enough time to really document it for decades, so maybe I’ll do more things in New York. I don’t see the point in me having a place there if I don’t do anything with it — I have to transform it into something creative. I have a little studio — a portrait studio.”

 

[gossiping]

that is so funny about those sales figures... they are not going to get that same sales with anthony (even though i like him, just by judging on here how many people don't i can see already)

 

[liberty33r1b]

YSL did a collection inspired by prostitutes, but... what do you mean? If YSL didn't do a certaing thing (which in this case he actually did), then the next designers can't?

If fashion was like that there would be no legit designers to work at old maisons...

Each designer has a personality, they are inspired by certain thing of the past or not even that. They create what they think a brand should be in the moment they are designing. End of the question.

that is not exactly what I meant. as a woman I don't feel he made dresses to make woman look beautiful and sophisticated and smart. also his collections always looked more high street than high fashion. what's more, 10 years from now on you probably won't be able to pinpoint exactly what season/collection or year a dress is from, because every season looked the same during his tenure. I do own some vintage YSL pieces, and they still look fabulous and timeless after all those years, and you can pinpoint exactly what collection they are from. when you wear such pieces you know you'll look great, not cheap. but I'd never buy any of Hedi's dresses to look good or as investment pieces because for me they clearly aren't. dresses like he made them you can buy everwhere on the high street, there's nothing exceptional about them

 

[Fashionstuff]

Interesting about sales on Business Of Fashion,
this is a Quote from article ,about Slimane's exit

Source : businessoffashion.com

BoF Exclusive | Francesca Bellettini on Saint Laurent in the Post-Hedi Slimane Era

In her first ever in-depth interview, Yves Saint Laurent chief executive Francesca Bellettini speaks exclusively to BoF’s Imran Amed on maintaining the brand’s momentum in the post-Hedi Slimane era.



.............
While Bellettini declined to discuss the reasons for Slimane’s departure, it is understood that the company failed to agree new terms to renew Slimane's contract, which expired at the end of March and, earlier this month, Yves Saint Laurent appointed Anthony Vaccarello as the brand’s new creative director. (Previously, Vaccarello was the creative director of Versace’s Versus brand, as well as the designer of his own namesake womenswear collection, but going forward, the designer will focus solely on Saint Laurent.)

“What you can expect from now is an evolution. The brand is established, the codes are established and the DNA is understood.”

Some industry observers have wondered whether Vaccarello, a relative newcomer to the top table of luxury megabrands, will be able to fill the enormous shoes left empty by Slimane. Others believe the departing designer has left behind such a strong template in terms of branding, product strategy and retail concept that the business is well positioned for the foreseeable future. (This has certainly been the case at Dior Homme, another brand revolutionised by Slimane, which is still performing well under the direction of his former assistant, Kris van Assche, who has adhered fairly closely to the formula put in place by Slimane.)

BoF’s Imran Amed sat down with Francesca Bellettini to learn more about the strategy behind Saint Laurent’s success and how the company plans to maintain momentum in the post-Hedi Slimane era.

BoF: You’re a great proponent of balanced growth. Why is this such an important part of your business approach?

.......................

 

[haydn]

Nothing suprising in that BOF article; they don't plan to give Vaccarello full creative control, but we already knew that. They'll continue to produce the cash-cow leather jackets, denim and footwear, probably most of the "permanent collection" which is hugely successful at retail, and have Vaccarello fill in the blanks.

The most interesting thing to come out of the article as to how opposed they were to Hedi's "couture" collection, which it was widely believed to be (even though they never confirmed). It was his tribute to the house, to Pierre and to Yves. So I'm curious as to why she didn't want to say it was "couture", when there were so many indicators (most blatantly that Hedi said the name "Yves St Laurent" was reserved for couture, and that's how this collection was presented to the press).

She also said "We don't do couture", however they made a big deal about launching "couture" previously with Hedi. I wonder if their reluctance to get into couture was an issue that lead to him leaving?

BoF: Another thing that has been confusing for some people is what to make of the last collection of Hedi Slimane, shown in what felt like a couture context. What was that collection and how did it fit in to the strategy of the business?

FB: It was the last collection of Hedi, and after what we did in Los Angeles in the Palladium, we felt it didn’t make sense to do another big show in Paris and we felt that an intimate approach was more appropriate. It was not an haute couture collection — it’s a prêt-a-porter Saint Laurent Paris collection. We simply decided to leave the big stage in LA where, for the first time, we showed men’s and women’s together. We called women’s collection ‘Part 1’.

In fact, this collection is called ‘Women’s Part 2,’ and it was a way not to overshadow what was done in LA, but still to give a last relevant message to the house. So it’s absolutely not an haute couture collection, we don’t do haute couture. We thought that doing it in our premises in Paris was the easiest way to make it coexist with the big show in LA. Another show at Le Carreau du Temple would have been a little bit confusing.

 

[Fashionstuff]

Nothing suprising in that BOF article; they don't plan to give Vaccarello full creative control, but we already knew that. They'll continue to produce the cash-cow leather jackets, denim and footwear, probably most of the "permanent collection" which is hugely successful at retail, and have Vaccarello fill in the blanks.

The most interesting thing to come out of the article as to how opposed they were to Hedi's "couture" collection, which it was widely believed to be (even though they never confirmed). It was his tribute to the house, to Pierre and to Yves. So I'm curious as to why she didn't want to say it was "couture", when there were so many indicators (most blatantly that Hedi said the name "Yves St Laurent" was reserved for couture, and that's how this collection was presented to the press).

She also said "We don't do couture", however they made a big deal about launching "couture" previously with Hedi. I wonder if their reluctance to get into couture was an issue that lead to him leaving?

The collection was shown during PFW and not during Couture Shows, so they can tell us everything what they want but it was a Couture... i didn't see any rtw product there, it was pure Couture, the collection was presented in "couture" style ,ect. Part II , ok, right but the rest was pure Couture.
Now, when Slimane is out and they will not give the Vaccarello possibility to do Couture ( Vaccarello and Couture, i would like to see the final result )

This part of interview is also not bad

Source : businessoffashion.com

What I think we have been able to do in the past four years is, again, to create a balanced portfolio. A strong ready-to-wear collection that is half women’s, half men’s, representing 25 percent of total revenues. You hear some people saying that our consumers approached brands starting from a wallet. It’s not true for Saint Laurent.

In the past, we have had a very successful shoe collection (now about 15 percent of revenues) and a very successful leather goods collection (now representing 50 percent of revenues), but nowadays I see that the consumer approaches Saint Laurent from every product category depending on what they want. Why? Because in each and every one of them, we offer a balanced collection, from entry level to higher price points, and from different occasions and views. You need to take a position sometimes and you also need to give consumers things they don’t even know that they want.

Yes,maybe Slimane left because of Couture.
And, sincerely, i don't think Vaccarello's creations will have same success like Hedi's had.
Leather jackets and footwear by Vaccarello ? Years long?
His Versus Versace was only one-first- time good, after was a disaster.

 

[Lola701]

The "Collection de Paris" was done with the couture atelier but that doesn't mean that it's couture in a pure sense.
I think it will be marketed as a much more "exclusive" RTW collection but they are not doing couture.

I like the idea of maintaining the Permanent collection. You can't do a revolution everytime with one brand. It will give them more stability and Vaccarello will add his own part to the repertoire.
It will not be different from Balmain. The only difference is that the shoes and bags at Saint Laurent are much more desirable.

I'm can't wait to see Anthony's first menswear. I don't worry for the womenswear. He may have his personal style for his own brand but he worked with Fendi and the archives at YSL are great enough to create something interesting.

I just hope that Bergé will not talk trash about him like he did with Pilati & Ford.

 

[Marc10]

Interesting press release in my inbox from Hedi Slimane's lawyers

 

[dodencebt]

Wow. They're viciously attacking all rumors about Hedi starting his own brand, which I can interpret as them being afraid of ruining his chances with a big house.

 

[Fashionstuff]

Interesting... So what he will- or could/would do in the future???? MEans it that he will dedicate himself only to photography? Or maybe really he will go to Dior or maybe, why not- Chanel?
Because if Calvin Klein has Intention to hire Hedi so they could did it yet... so there will go surely Raf.
But what will be with Slimane? I would like to see him designing, i like what he did in last 4 years.. not from first moment but at the second , lol, and not all but a lot...

 

[eugenius]

He needed lawyers just to tell the world "Im not starting my own fashion line."

He needs a lot of help just to release one tiny statement.

 

[Marc10]

The full PR:

thefashionlaw

 

[KKnardi]

What's the actual reason Hedi left Saint Laurent?

 

[GIVENCHYlover]

CHANEL CRUISE 2017: Karl Lagerfeld took his bow in a sequin @ysl jacket from Hedi Slimane’s Spring 2016 men’s collection.

instagram.com/voguerunway/

 

[Lola701]

^^
He wears Saint Laurent almost everyday. It's been a moment now...
Those Chanel rumours are getting ridiculous.

 

[Fashionstuff]

The full PR:

thefashionlaw

This release is today on Hollywoodreporter.com
and following article :

Sorce: hollywoodreporter.com

Hedi Slimane Denies Rumors That He's Launching a Namesake Label

The former Saint Laurent creative director has hired legal counsel to shut down the gossip.

Press-shy designer Hedi Slimane isn't one to comment on rumors in the media. To do that, he's hired a lawyer.

The former Saint Laurent creative director, whose name has popped up in headlines left and right over his highly anticipated next move, posted a statement from his attorney on Twitter on Wednesday morning denying the rumor that he has an eponymous label in the works.

"For the record, Hedi Slimane has never had in the past, let alone now, the intention or desire to launch a brand under his name, and therefore denies recent rumors (including in WWD) of alleged encounters with investors, in Paris or Doha, where in fact Hedi Slimane has never been," reads the statement from Slimane's lawyer, Maitre Herve Temime.

Though the statement does not address the exact reason for his departure from Saint Laurent (per an agreement with Kering), he does use the space to officially acknowledge his gratitude to the Saint Laurent family, including studio and couture ateliers, seamstresses and Pierre Berge, Yves Saint Laurent's longtime partner who championed Slimane during his four-year tenure at the helm of the French fashion house.

Aside from the denial of a namesake label, the designer's next move is not revealed — but that hasn't stopped curious minds from putting forth their best guesses. Just yesterday, a new rumor began swirling that Slimane is being groomed to takeover for Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel — a speculation which was fueled by the fact that the Kaiser was seen wearing a Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane jacket at Chanel's 2017 cruise show in Cuba. The madness never stops.

 

[Thefrenchy]

There's quite a bit of buzz in Paris these days about Karl stepping back due to health issues and Hedi taking over Chanel...

Just like it's rumored that SLP would go back to being YSL...

 

[maxlinden]

The rumors and the drama has become more interesting than the collections