When rumors started swirling that Hedi Slimane would be exiting Saint Laurent, many wondered if the designer would be taking a position at Chanel. The speculation quickly reached a fever pitch when reports suggested Lagerfeld's 2017 Resort show would be his last.
Lagerfeld quickly denied the gossip surrounding his retirement, though. Shortly after, buzz about Slimane possibly starting his own line was jump started by a report that he was meeting with potential investors. Nothing came of either of those rumors, and Internet conspiracy theorists continue to pull on the string that the former Saint Laurent director could be off to Chanel. This time it's a wardrobe choice by Lagerfeld that has people talking again about Slimane's next move.
Lagerfeld was spotted at his fashion show in Cuba wearing a custom Saint Laurent jacket that was designed by Slimane. While Lagerfeld is a known fan of Slimane—he's known him for almost 20 years and famously lost 90 pounds to fit into one of his Dior Homme suits—it seemed unusual that he would wear a piece by the designer to his own show, not to mention stray outside his usual black and white uniform. Many have taken the jacket as a hidden message that Slimane is joining the French fashion house to launch its first menswear line.
A letter issued by Slimane's lawyer has done nothing to quell the rumors. While it didn't mention his reason for leaving Saint Laurent, it did say that he had not met with investors and "has never had in the past, let alone now, the intention or desire to launch a brand under his name."
While all these rumors are probably completely unfounded, it's amazing to note what people will notice and latch onto to fuel a story.
