No Joke: Hedi Slimane Is Leaving Saint Laurent

No joke: Hedi Slimane is leaving his post at Saint Laurent. Following rumors and speculation of his imminent departure, the news was confirmed on — funny enough — April Fools’ Day.

But nothing says “this is totally serious” more than a joint press release from Saint Laurent and Kering, its parent company, which also owns Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Gucci, and more lifestyle lines. The statement reads that “at the end of a four-year mission, which has led to the complete repositioning of the brand, the Maison Yves Saint Laurent announces the departure of Hedi Slimane as its creative and image director.”

Fran?ois-Henri Pinault, the luxury group’s chairman and chief executive officer, noted that “what Yves Saint Laurent has achieved over the past four years represents a unique chapter in the history of the house.” He added, “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.”

This news comes shortly after Saint Laurent released Slimane-lensed images of Cara Delevingne and Jane Birkin in couture for a campaign. Also part of his epic departure tour was his final fashion show, which was staged in Los Angeles — Slimane’s home base — and attracted lots of famous faces including Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Elle and Dakota Fanning, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, and Elizabeth Olsen, to name a few.

Throughout his tenure, Slimane was responsible for dropping “Yves” from “Yves Saint Laurent,” a move he described in an interview with Yahoo Style, stating, “the return to the original name would also help me to recreate a legitimate and lost balance between the fashion and leather accessories, besides keeping women’s and men’s fashion side by side.“ He also reintroduced couture after a 10 year absence.

What’s next for Slimane is unknown, but there’s been talk of the 48-year-old taking Raf Simons’s empty position at Dior. Who will come in as Slimane’s replacement has also yet to be announced.

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