Yesterday, we found out that Nicolas Ghesquière was leaving his post at Balenciaga, where he's been what they call a critical darling for pretty much ever. (Fifteen years. Ghesquière was awarded the post when he was 25 years old. Where were you when you were 25 years old? I don't know. I'm not even that old yet.)
His departure from Balenciaga was reportedly related to label holding company PPR's efforts to push the brand in a more commercial direction. Where Ghesquière envisioned a future for Balenciaga that was all obscure and arthouse by way of boxy silhouettes and Kristen Stewart, PPR wanted something way more saleable. They wanted unicorns and car commericals and my cat Carl and a pineapple in a bikini and Gwyneth Paltrow wearing a bermuda hat on an African safari vacation. Those corporate suits wouldn't recognize art if they saw it walking down a Balenciaga runway show!
So, we have two big questions. No, maybe three. Let's make it four, just to be safe? (Speculative answers included as parentheses.)
(According to Suzy Menkes, maybe his own brand with PPR rival LVMH. The company's CEO, Bernard Arnault, is said to have offered Ghesquière his own house, which would be overseen by one of Arnault's children — either his daughter Delphine or son Antoine.)
(No one really knows, but PPR CEO Isabelle Guichot wants to move quickly and waste as little time as possible finding a replacement designer. So she can get back in the business of dressing pineapples in bikinis. "We have a short list," she told WWD.)
(She'll be fine.)
(His Google Image search results. YOU'RE WELCOME.)
Image via Getty
Via: Where is Nicolas Ghesquire Going to Go and Why is He So Beautiful?