Hedi Slimane Tribute
His 5 best moments at Saint Laurent
Fashion
April 4th, 2016
April 4th, 2016
Hedi Slimane leaves Saint Laurent. The Parisian designer, after having worked with the great Yves in the late '90s, became creative director of the House in 2012.
In only four years he revolutionises the brand, shaping it to his style, to the sound of rock ‘n’ roll. He redesigns shops and ateliers, moves the creative base to Los Angeles, changes the name of the brand and finds his inspiration in street style and indie rock.
His collections are a mix of Mary Jane and rubber boots, skinny jeans and tuxedos, sequins and parka, leather jackets and mini dresses.
Here's our tribute through the top 5 moments of Hedi Slimane at Saint Laurent.
#1 The debut
Paris. Collections Spring/Summer 2013. Junior Kimbrough Music edited by Daft Punk. Hedi Slimane makes his debut as creative director of Yves Saint Laurent. On the catwalk, the revisited codes of the house: tuxedos, safari jackets and transparent blouses meet long chiffon dresses, skinny pants, wide-brimmed hats, capes.
It's a Sabbath rock that evokes Stevie Nicks and Marianne Faithfull. The press is critical and Cathy Horyn of The New York Times writes «The clothes held considerably less value than a box of Saint Laurent labels».
For others, like Justin O'Shea, Heidi is a genius: «Its Hedi’s way or the high way. He has created a movement rather than a trend. He has divided the fashion world by taking such a radical approach to his Saint Laurent and it’s only when you have emotions of "love" or "hate" that you truly create dedication and patriotism».
#2 The Saint Laurent Music Project
In an old interview Hedi Slimane reveals his fashion formula: Fashion = Youth + Music + Sex. "The Saint Laurent Music Project", rock diary for which the designer dresses the musicians he loves with the most iconic pieces of the brand, is just one of the ways to express his style.
From the biggest names like Daft Punk, Marianne Faithfull, Josh Homme, Joni Mitchell and Courtney Love, who will be the main inspiration for the summer collection 2016, to the new generation of rock stars like Julia Cumming and Staz Lindes.
#3 He is She: Saskia for SL
Dutch model Saskia de Brauw is the face of the Saint Laurent Men SS13 campaign. Slimane blends male and female. Monsieur Yves was actually the first to play with androgyny in 1966, dressing women in tuxedos.
#4 No more Yves, adieu Paris
In June 2012, the fashion house announced the name change: "Yves" disappears and becomes simply "Saint Laurent Paris". Slimane motivates the choice as a solution of continuity with the founder of the brand that in '66 christened the ready-to-wear line "Saint Laurent Rive Gauche".
About the decision to move the creative base to Los Angeles Hedi says «The city of Los Angeles was for me a perfect observatory of popular culture and inspiring sub-cultures. I presume the distance, and the configuration of the city, gives you the possibility to focus entirely outside distractions, and therefore to develop your creativity. I do work constantly here, more than I used to do in Paris, but there is also here that lack of social pressure. Los Angeles is about making things. Being here helps me tremendously».
And it is in L.A. that Slimane set his second to last show with an event, a tribute to the city music scene, at the Palladium.
#5 Haute Couture is back
July 2015. The French fashion house has a new Atelier Couture line. It's an exclusive sartorial line consisting of unique and valuable pieces in limited numbers, with "Yves Saint Laurent" label. The advertising campaign, a series of shots in black and white, was taken by Slimane at Hôtel de Paris Sénecterre.
