Step forward Nicholas Ghesquière, Christopher Kane, Alber Elbaz, Tom Ford, Richard Nicoll, Antonio Berardi And just about any other big fashion-world personality youd care to name. Its all to play for in designer musical chairs. Where will the die fall?
Weve called in the odds on the frontrunners. Click though our gallery to find out whos in the frame and place your bets, please
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Nicholas Ghesquière
Odds: 1/3
We say: Rumours about Ghesquière joining Vuitton were uttered almost in the same breath as the rumour that Marc was leaving. Makes sense: boasting a 15-year tenure at Balenciaga, he knows the drill when it comes to making a brand with heritage his own long-term. Plus, he’s been at kind of a loose end since he left in November 2012... The one to beat.
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Christopher Kane
Odds: 7/1
We say: Be still, our beating hearts! Scottish wunderkind Christopher Kane makes the list in second place. He’s kind of got a lot on his plate right now, what with his own label just having had a super-charge via an investment from Kering – the big rival group to LVMH – but as the former creative director of Versus Versace, he’s well-enough practiced at managing his time. Dare we dream?
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Haider Ackermann
Odds: 8/1
We say: The Colombia-born designer isn’t known as ‘the new Yves Saint Laurent’ for nothing. With years spent cutting his teeth at luxury Italian leather house Ruffo, he certainly fits the Vuitton profile – trouble is, he’s notoriously hard to pin down, having been in talks about both the Maison Martin Margiela and Dior roles and appearing in neither. Could Vuitton be The One? (Or is he holding out for Chanel?)
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Olivier Theyskens
Odds: 10/1
We say: Dutch designer Olivier Theyskens’ CV already includes stints at Rochas, Nina Ricci and Theory, where he is currently artistic director. But does he have itchy feet? When asked in a recent interview with the Business of Fashion how he plans to ‘evolve’, he responded: ‘If you read the Encyclopedia of Fashion and you see the designers listed, life is long. What I’ve also felt is that events make you change. You have to go to something else, and it’s sometimes unpredictable.’
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Giambattista Valli
Odds: 12/1
We say: With a couture line to his name, Valli knows a thing or two about hyper-luxury – a boon for a label with the pedigree of Louis Vuitton. Plus, the time could be ripe for the Italian hotshot to take on a new project, with his line for Moncler ticking over like a well-oiled machine – and he’d come with his very own A-list fan-club in tow. We can see SJP on the front row now.
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Phoebe Philo
Odds: 12/1
We say: We are liking the idea of a woman calling the Louis Vuitton shots – especially if that woman is Phoebe Philo. Her work at both Chloé and Céline can be described as nothing less than both a commercial and critical smash hit; she has a knack for creating clothes that women not only want to wear, but that they want to rave about. Just imagine what she could with a budget like LV’s….
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Alber Elbaz
Odds: 16/1
We say: Nothing. We’re speechless. Lanvin sans Alber is simply unthinkable. Would he – could he – do both? It’s the only way we can bear to consider it.
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Jonathan Saunders
Odds: 18/1
We say: Could this be the leap into the Very Big Time that the multi-talented Jonathan Saunders has been waiting for? Pollini continues to thrive under his tenure – and just imagine what a pretty place Louis Vuitton would become on his watch.
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Richard Nicoll
Odds: 20/1
We say: An appointment at Louis Vuitton would be a serious step-change for Australia-born, London-based fashion maestro Nicoll. We’ve no doubt he could handle it, though. He worked under Marc as a freelance designer on Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2005 collection, and who doesn’t love a bit of serendipity?