The Third Heir to the Saint Laurent Throne Is… Chemena Kamali?
The biggest rumour in fashion
On the 8th of September, the highly trusted fashion news page, BoringNotCom, posted two unforeseen bombshells.
‘Anthony Vaccarello out at Saint Laurent.’
‘Chemena Kamali is the new creative director of Saint Laurent.’
As of right now the rumours remain speculative, yet upon inspection, it appears the possibility of this happening is more logical than fantasy. Kering has a well-established desire for recruiting the hottest designers to lead its legacy fashion houses, and a change at the helm of Saint Laurent would be no exception. It would be a homecoming after all, as Kamali, prior to her tenure at Chloé, worked underVaccarello at Saint Laurent as the design director for womenswear RTW. It was also reported byInvogua in August that after a decade with the brand, Vaccarello’s contract would not be renewed.Despite all this, Kering has not confirmed any of the rumours and the article written by the Spanish publication has been removed from their website.
Who is Chemena Kamali?
Chemena Kamali, born in Germany, 1981, started her fashion career at Chloé as an intern in 2003,under the legendary designer, Phoebe Philo. She later returned to the Maison after graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2007, to work under Clare Waight Keller in a more senior design role. After 3years with the house, she would move on to Saint Laurent where she would take the title as the women’s RTW design director. Kamali’s work for Saint Laurent wouldn’t go unnoticed because after 6years with the house, Richemont announced her return to Chloé, but this time, as the creative director.
Chemena Kamali’s time as creative director has been rejuvenating, a phoenix-like rebirth to the essences of the Maison. Kamali has made clear her commitment to preserving Chloé’s legacy in its most authentic form, while her work thus far has demonstrated a clear understanding of the qualities that made the brand so important to the fashion world. The house historically defined readyto wear in an age of haute couture, an alternative to the unrealism for consumers. Kamali has described Aghion as someone who wanted to liberate women from the rigidity of couture and youcan see from her shows and collections, she is personifying the same ideology. Chemena Kamali’srunways have been dominated by fluid, soft drapes, capes and blouses, dresses bohemian andexpressive. Her collections are unrestrictive, effortless wardrobes doused in 70s hippie whimsy,accessorised with high fashion’s opulence, sumptuous leather bags and exaggerated jewelleryentirely harmonious to the lace, thrills and nonconformist femininity. Kamali’s work has continuouslybeen well received by critics and audiences alike. At Chloé, she has been able to showcase hersculptural, creative and fashionably technical prowess while simultaneously immortalising the 2000sSienna Miller, ruched dress, tassel boot wearing Chloé it girl that’s return has been yearned for bymany. However, despite Kamali’s artistic success at the brand, Glitz reported that Chloé hadexperienced losses up to 54 million euros in 2025, and when you compare that to the 1.2 billionincrease in sales Saint Laurent has seen under Vaccarello, it raises questions about whether Kering’snext move will be driven as much by commercial performance as by creative direction.
The future for Saint Laurent and return of Hedi Slimane?
Saint Laurent under Vaccarello has transformed from the skinny rockstar aesthetic Hedi Slimane lefthim with, to being a powerhouse of tailored menswear that has been engulfed in an alluringseriousness. Saint Laurent has beguiled audiences with structure and fabric, whether that be blazerswith exaggerated shoulder padding matched with sharp pinstripe trousers, cashmere, floor-lengthcoats lined with fur, draping over the lustrous formalwear or PVC knee-high boots, showcasingVaccarello’s nonconformist attitudes to office wear. While his time at the brand is unquestionablysuccessful and even more sexy, the last couple of seasons have been stagnant and shown littleevolution for the Saint Laurent man. So what would the house look like under new direction?
We know from her time at Chloé, Kamali is enamoured by her predecessors and the brand’s archive.Throughout her tenure, Kamali’s collections have distilled her affinity for Lagerfeld’s time at thehouse, and if she is going to replace Vaccarello at Saint Laurent, it is easy to imagine her turning thesame archival eye towards the house’s own history, like YSL in the 80s, specifically fall 1988, howeverI want to draw similarities to the divisive Hedi Slimane. Slimane’s womenswear at Saint Laurentsymbolised the same ideology that has encapsulated Kamali’s collections, the divine freedom offemininity. Comparing their respected runways side by side, you probably won’t see many similaritiesin design language or styling, besides the occasional look, yet they both push the samenonconformity and reflect a similar devotion from fashion of the past. Spring 15 jumps out at me as apossible start for Kamali’s archival inspiration. That season epitomised the LA rockstar’s girlfriend’sglamour, a wardrobe of outfits that draped the girls that frivolously pranced down Hollywood’sBoulevards. Velvet, embroidered capes adorned floral print dresses, but so did Americana suedejackets and camo, military parkas. At its heart it’s glam rock but it was also a window into the outfitsof Glastonbury goers in the 70s, a converging fusion of hippy caprice and western outerwear. Thesuede high boots, slip on, flouncy dresses, frilled, leather waistcoats, patchwork skirts and hyperbolicjewellery all portray the same bohemian nature that Kamali has fulfilled at Chloé. The difference is insilhouette. Slimane symbolises fashion’s liberty for women in a serious elegy of youth culture,combining androgyny and rebellion to the patriarchal perceptions of what a woman ‘should wear.’Kamali’s take is more effervescent, kaleidoscopic and blousy, her looks are more sculptural andgrandiose in comparison to the skinnier silhouettes preferred by Slimane.
Ultimately, the future of Saint Laurent remains uncertain as Kamali’s move is still unconfirmed.However, her experience already working for the house, reverence for its heritage and proven abilityto reimagine legacy, all make her a compelling successor. Despite the commercial success,Vaccarello’s sharp, tailored edge has settled into stillness and Kamali’s bohemian, vivacious spiritoffers a new chapter for the house. Her time at Chloé has been rooted in history that has beencompletely transformed into her own and while she has never partaken in menswear, leaving that asa surprise to even the most educated in the fashion scope, I can see aspects she could brilliantlyreinterpret from Hedi Slimane’s womenswear. It’s going to be vibrant, it’s going to be glamorous andit’s most definitely going to be liberating.
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