Out-N-In

We know who's Out at Balen-chaka-khan, but who will be In?

Dazed Digital pulled out a list of top 5 contenders for Balenciaga's creative chief post -- and Simon Porte Jacquemus is not in it doe.

5. An Unknown Designer. Umm.

4. Julian Dossena. Dossena has a wide experience: prior to founding a new label called ATTO, he was in Balenciaga for four years (he is an in-the-know) until Nicolas Ghesquiere's abrupt departure. Other than he is a known Ghesquiere groupie and dear friend, he is on a radical rebranding roll as Creative Director of Paco Rabanne's millenial revival and that is why it will be unlikely.

3. Sebastien Piegné. Another Balenciaga alum (he was there for nine years from 2001 to 2010 a.k.a. Balenciaga's transformative years under Ghesquiere), before he decamped to assist Nicola Formichetti on his tenure at Mugler. The odds may be on his favor.

2. Thomas Tait. A wunderkind, but .. 

"his ties to Kering-rival LVMH might make him a slightly less likely option."

(He was the first winner of the LVMH Prize.)

1. Christopher Kane. The Scot designer who sometime proclaimed, "I love science," is our top pick. He only has to learn from Balenciaga's brand bible ("articulate," 'ultra-modern" are a few obvious clichés) and put his abiding themes of science and known strongly feminine vision into the equation and he shall do leaps of high inventiveness. 

In case of doubt, see his Spring 2014 collection. The London-Paris-London shifts (the bi-country commute can be taxing) should be Phoebe Philo-ed (read: non-negotiable clause/s). 

Promising.