horyn it up

Cathy Horyn’s Theory on Why Ghesquière Left Balenciaga Involves … Hedi Slimane

Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

After this morning’s news of Nicolas Ghesquière’s abrupt departure from the fashion house, the Times’ critic portrays him as a creative director aggravated by both the label and PPR, with “frustrations go[ing] back at least a year and involv[ing] matters like financing and a more commercial tone to some of Balenciaga’s lines.” Horyn continues, invoking the name of Slimane:

A source of ire may have also been the unusual freedom that Hedi Slimane was given as the new creative director of Saint Laurent, also owned by PPR, even though Mr. Slimane had been inactive in design for about five years and had not done a women’s collection. He was allowed to change the corporate logo and store designs and remain in Los Angeles, commuting as needed to Paris.

All true; however, as you might recall, Hedi’s first ready-to-wear show was closely followed by a shit show, but we’re guessing Ghesquière subscribes to the notion that with freedom comes great responsibility, and wouldn’t be dropping Bs all over the place, renaming the house Alenciaga. It makes us wonder exactly what sort of changes he sought and what to expect from his next move — according to Horyn, possibly “doing something with LVMH” or taking “a little break.”

Horyn’s Theory on Why Ghesquière Left Balenciaga