The latest fashion gossip has us wondering whether the rumors are true about Marc Jacobs' exit and Nicolas Ghesquière's hopeful arrival at Louis Vuitton. Jacobs' contract will come to an end in 2014, after 16 years of serving as the fashion house's creative director. Sources believe he will not renew his deal as he plans on focusing on his own label and going public (à la Michael Kors), or perhaps possibly moving on to Coach.
Nicolas Ghesquière doesn't have Jacobs' illustrious high-profile, but over the last year, he's certainly made his name well-known, especially for his controversial split with Balenciaga — and now he may be upping his own ante if he is, indeed the heir to the LV throne.
Although we are saddened at the idea of a Marc Jacobs-less LV (au revoir, ultra-fabulous runway shows and brilliantly memorable collaborations), we're tickled brown and gold at the idea of the younger designer taking over. Five reasons why we hope the Nicolas Ghesquière for LV rumors are true:
1. He'll bring on the edge. Early on in his career, Nicolas Ghesquière garnered himself somewhat of a bad boy reputation, with his "I do what I want" attitude (according to NYT, he once stood up Anna Wintour). While he has undoubtedly matured over the years and has become easier to work with, you know what they say: Once a bad boy, always a bad boy. We just hope he chooses to channel his edge through his designs rather than his relationships.
2. He created one of the most sought-after handbags (and probably will again). Say what you will about Ghesquière's current relationship with Balenciaga — no one can ignore the fact that he was the one who helmed the fashion line into the spotlight again with his must-have motorcycle bag. We can only imagine the possibilities of a Ghesquière-inspired LV tote. #brbdreaming
3. Karl Lagerfeld believes in him. In 2012, the Kaiser himself had a suggestion for Ghesquière's next move after his departure with Balenciaga. "Perhaps Nicolas wants to have his own label, which is not a bad idea. And it would not be a bad idea if somebody such as Bernard Arnault would invest in a new label because there are so many old labels (within the LVMH group)." Is Karl a couture clairvoyant? If the rumors come true, not only will the fashion icon have another talent to add to his resume, but he'll also be in the same fashion-house-family as Ghesquière.
4. He's friends with fashion muses. Chloe Sevigny. Charlotte Gainsbourg. Two of fashion's hippest influencers, as well as two of Ghesquière's closest friends. Just last month, Sevigny told Harper's Bazaar that he was her favorite designer (and in 2001, she told Vogue that his Balenciaga pants changed her life for the better). Additionally, Gainsbourg's close bond with Ghesquière may go down as one of fashion's most famous designer-muse relationships.
5. He'll deliver a fresh perspective. Ghesquière's ability to resuscitate Balenciaga with his own interpretations of what worked, rather than dwelling on the fashion house's archive was, without question, the reason for his — and the line's — huge success in the late '90s. Bringing Ghesquière's renewed outlook and creative talent to one of the most successful luxury brands in the world just makes sense. We could tire of LV's trademark monogram or classic silhouettes, but we're not saying we wouldn't be in favor of change either.
