Marc Jacobs, the US designer credited with transforming Louis Vuitton from "stodgy luggage house" to global fashion giant, on Wednesday received a standing ovation as news of his departure broke.

The US designer with a flair for showmanship dedicated his final show for the Parisian luxury brand to "the women who inspire me and the showgirl in every one of them".

Jacobs listed a string of names in a statement from Jane Birkin, Betty Catroux, Catherine Deneuve and Edith Piaf to Liza Minnelli, Kate Moss, Barbra Streisand and Vivienne Westwood.

The designer is wrapping up his 16-year tenure to concentrate on a stock exchange flotation of his own brand, whose value market sources estimate to be "approaching the billion-dollar leagues".

Under his stewardship, Louis Vuitton has become one of the most sought after luxury brands, particularly in the lucrative Asian market, with "Vuitton mania" often prompting round-the-block queues outside the brand's stores.



The designer, whose contract had been due to expire at the end of the year, had been in negotiations with Louis Vuitton and LVMH.













