Star designer Ghesquiere could head to LVMH

PARIS - Balenciaga's star designer Nicolas Ghesquiere, whose surprise departure was announced on Monday, could be poised to launch his own brand for the luxury giant LVMH, the International Herald Tribune reported.

Quoting an unnamed industry source, the IHT said Tuesday that Ghesquiere has been courted by Bernard Arnault, chief executive of LVMH, the archrival of the PPR luxury group which owns the Balenciaga fashion house.

The paper reported that Ghesquiere had been offered a house under his own name, to be overseen either by Arnault's daughter Delphine, who works for the company, or his son Antoine, who recently relaunched the shoe brand Berluti.

Fashion brands in the LVMH empire include Christian Dior, Celine, Kenzo and Givenchy and Louis Vuitton.

One the most acclaimed designers of his generation, Ghesquiere will leave Balenciaga on November 30 after 15 years during which which he put the historic house of Spanish designer Cristobal Balenciaga back on the fashion map.

News of his departure went down like a bombshell in planet fashion, unleashing a swirl of speculation on social networks over the 41-year-old's next step and his succession at Balenciaga.

PPR, which has owned Balenciaga since 2001, has yet to name a successor.