Hedi Slimane Confirmed as Creative Director at Yves Saint Laurent

After months of rumors and speculation, WWD is reporting that designer Hedi Slimane will return to Yves Saint Laurent--this time as creative director, overseeing both the men's and women's collections. Slimane is returning to the brand after nearly a decade away, during which he led Dior Homme (popularizing the enduring "skinny suit") before a sabbatical from design to focus on his photography. Slimane is most well-known for his menswear designs, so this appointment proves to be an interesting move for such a high-profile label, but corporate heads have expressed confidence in Slimane's abilities. Yves Saint Laurent's CEO Paul Deneve toldWWD that the designer's "exceptional talent and understanding of the spirit of Yves Saint Laurent heralds a promising new chapter in the history of the maison." Slimane's first collection is expected to be shown in June, for the resort season.