It has only been a few weeks since Hedi Slimane left his position at Saint Laurent, but it appears that he could be looking to start his own line. After two decades of working for luxury fashion houses, we might finally get to see what the game-changing designer can do on his own. Slimane was recently spotted at the Mayhoola for Investments office in Doha, Qatar, leading many to believe he is looking for some financial backing to fund a new venture.
While he didn't hint at starting a new line before his departure, the potential move would be a logical step for Slimane. During his recent four-year tenure at Saint Laurent, Slimane proved he had a strong and uncompromising vision. He transformed the iconic French label through changing its name and overhauling everything from its collections, stores, and ad campaigns with his rock n' roll aesthetic. He was ultimately able to improve sales dramatically at the fashion house, so there is no question that Slimane could build a brand from the ground up.
According to WWD, the Mayhoola fund is hoping to grow its luxury and fashion portfolio, which could explain Slimane's visit. The fund currently controls Valentino and is reportedly interested in Balmain, but the likeliness that Slimane would join another existing brand is low. Recently, we've seen designers like Raf Simons and Alexander Wang leave their creative director positions to focus on their own projects, so Slimane would not be doing anything off the beaten path.
In a recent interview shared by the Business of Fashion, Slimane reveals he has plans to move to New York and be bi-coastal, sharing that he has plans to do work in the Big Apple, but doesn't offer much detail.
"I don’t see the point in me having a place there if I don’t do anything with it—I have to transform it into something creative. I have a little studio—a portrait studio."
This is an interesting change because much has been made of the inspiration Los Angeles has on Slimane, but it seems he is looking for something new. When Slimane first left Diore Homme in 2007, he put his focus back on photography before taking his position at Saint Laurent. So, while its possible he will dabble in the arts again, his recent meeting with Mayhoola gives us hope that we will see a Slimane line in the not-so-far-off future.
