Fashion designer Nicolas Ghesquière has announced that he will be leaving his post as creative director of Balenciaga.

The news comes as a shock to many, as there was almost no word previously that the French designer was planning to part ways with the fashion house he's headed for fifteen years. Fashion critic Cathy Horyn, however, has a theory that Ghesquière's departure may have something to do with Yves Saint Laurent's new creative director Hedi Slimane.

An official statement from the company stated that the decision was made jointly by Ghesquière and PPR, the group which owns Balenciaga. There was no additional information offered from the company.

Ghesquière's work at the Paris label has received numerous praises, attracting celebrity fans like Kristen Stewart and Jennifer Connelly.