In July 2007, Slimane did not renew his contract at Dior Homme. The fashion house discussed the funding of Slimane's own label, but the discussions failed. Slimane had written on his website that he did not want to lose control of his name, and management of his own brand. He returned to fashion and portrait photography.
In March 2011, following John Galliano's dismissal from Dior, Slimane was linked with the job of new Dior creative director.[3] In March 2012, Yves Saint Laurent and its parent company, PPR, officially stated that Slimane would replace Stefano Pilati as creative director at Yves Saint Laurent, after the departure of the latter, who held said position for almost eight years.[6] He is based in his creative studio in Los Angeles, rather than the brand's Parisian headquarters.