Two days after Anthony Vaccarello's departure was first reported, the newest information comes from Kering itself. The conglomerate's statement, quoted by both ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English and philstar.com, credits Vaccarello with playing "a key role in Saint Laurent's development" and says the house will announce its new creative leadership soon. philstar.com, citing Agence France-Presse, adds a first on-record quote from Kering chief executive Luca de Meo, who said Vaccarello's "creative vision and exacting standards" strengthened "the enduring influence of one of France's greatest couture houses, as we embark on a new chapter in its history." The house gave no reason for the departure, and the former Renault boss's framing signals the change is strategic, not merely a designer stepping aside.

ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English reports that Barclays analysts have set out where Kering wants the next Saint Laurent designer to focus. Their note says the incoming creative lead's priority will be "currently under-represented product categories, such as women's daywear and menswear, in high-end leather goods, and less penetrated regions such as China/Asia." That is a revealing read on what Vaccarello's successor is being hired to fix, and the same outlet reports Saint Laurent is the last major Kering brand to switch creative directors after last year's changes at Gucci, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta during the luxury slowdown. Industry speculation, per ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English, now centers on Chemena Kamali, currently creative director at Chloe and previously womenswear design director at Saint Laurent.

philstar.com, in its AFP report, frames the succession as the biggest personnel change at a major Kering brand since Luca de Meo became chief executive in September 2025, and says it is seen as a risk because Vaccarello was established as a celebrity favorite. According to philstar.com, revenues tripled over his decade to $3.2 billion (2.8 billion euros) in 2023 before sliding after the post-COVID boom; ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English puts the falls at 9% and 6% in 2024 and 2025 before stabilizing this year. philstar.com also reports Vaccarello was believed reluctant to leave and had signed off with a gold-themed September 29 show that The New York Times called "a 24-karat unofficial goodbye," while Harrods chief buyer Simon Longland called it "a true fashion moment."

The next signal readers should watch is the formal announcement of creative leadership, which Kering says is coming soon, and the content of the Barclays brief: daywear, menswear, leather goods and China. philstar.com reports Vaccarello posted "A bientot" on Instagram Friday with a decade-spanning video, and quotes fashion journalist Sophie Fontanel of Nouvel Obs saying he "returned it to the firmament" while cautioning the clothing was "too nightlife" for everyday wear — precisely the daywear gap the analysts identify. ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English notes Vaccarello's style leaned on modern, metallic fabrics and streetwear that has since declined, so the successor's mandate is partly a corrective. Whether Kamali or another candidate takes the role, the brief points to a quieter, more commercial Saint Laurent.