# Fashion's Legacy Debate at Paris Fashion Week

> Saint Laurent's Anthony Vaccarello steps down after 10 years as creative director amid fashion industry shifts.
- Title: Fashion's Legacy Debate at Paris Fashion Week · Vanity Fair
- Summary: Saint Laurent's Anthony Vaccarello steps down after 10 years as creative director amid fashion industry shifts. Anthony Vaccarello leaves Saint Laurent after…
- Keywords: anthony vaccarello, saint laurent, paris fashion week, chanel, dior, mugler, balmain, courrèges, jonathan anderson, antoin tron, matthieu blazy, Fashion's
- Source: Vanity Fair — https://vanityfair.com/story/chanel-dior-saint-laurent-paris-fashion-week-spring-2027
- Author: José Criales-Unzueta
- Published: 2026-10-09T22:12:17.516+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: anthony vaccarello, saint laurent, paris fashion week, chanel, dior, mugler, balmain, courrèges, jonathan anderson, antoin tron, matthieu blazy
## Anthony Vaccarello leaves Saint Laurent
Anthony Vaccarello said he would be leaving Saint Laurent after 10 years as creative director following a blockbuster Paris Fashion Week show.
## Vaccarello's gilded collection finale
Vaccarello showed a collection of gilded ready-to-wear that concluded with a procession of blacked out evening wear.
## Industry upheaval in fashion
Last year saw a reset across over a dozen luxury brands including Dior, Chanel, Gucci, and Balenciaga with new creative directors.
## Vaccarello's decade-long rise
Vaccarello grew from underdog to alpha designer at Saint Laurent over 10 years, known for his razor-sharp cutting and sensual output.
## Vaccarello's legacy focus
Vaccarello's collections referenced Saint Laurent's greatest hits, lesser celebrated eras, and personal uniform to celebrate the house's legacy.
## Mugler's new designer challenges
Miguel Castro Freitas showed Mugler's first collection a year ago, re-aligning with Manfred Thierry Mugler's point of view on tailoring.
## Alexis Stone's Mugler stunt
Alexis Stone dressed as Manfred Thierry Mugler at the Mugler show wearing a look from his personal wardrobe.
## Mugler's legacy dilemma
Stone's appearance was seen as misguided as Mugler died only a few years ago, and the stunt felt like an attempt to hold on to the legacy.
## Dior's Jonathan Anderson
Jonathan Anderson's Dior collection was light and flouncy but retained Dior's excesses like layers and jewelry.
## Balmain and Courrèges challenges
Antonin Tron and Drew Henry face reinvigorating Balmain and Courrèges, whose founders are less widely understood today.
## Chanel's Matthieu Blazy
Matthieu Blazy designed a Chanel collection drawing from Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel's life to challenge the brand's collective conception.
## Vaccarello's perspective
Vaccarello said it's hard to do a good job several times, mentioning only Blazy as getting it right the second time around.
## Fashion legacy debate
The fashion industry faces a contentious relationship with legacy as designers navigate celebrating versus rejecting historical fashion.
## Key takeaway

Anthony Vaccarello leaves Saint Laurent after 10 years to focus on his next creative challenge.