Stylistically, socially, and historically, the fashion house of Saint Laurent has pushed
boundaries and defined contemporary dress. Numerous creative directors have carried on
the legacy through their vision, today our focus is a standout chapter in the house’s
history, the era under designer and photographer Hedi Slimane’s creative reins from 2012
to 2016. This era was one by which life was breathed back into Saint Laurent heritage
through not only modernized imagery and clothing but also the spirit and industry influence.
Collections were artistically sound, possessing strong craftsmanship, and aesthetically consistent
with developing codes holding respect to house DNA executed through looks of Parisian poise
infused with a LA type of rock ‘n’ roll edge that the house is now well known for.
This was achieved with the design of the collection in addition to overall image direction, marketing,
and communications with an uncompromising vision that garnered in a widespread demographic
desire- With a range of offerings from avant-garde boundary-pushing ensembles to a repertoire
of sleek and understated staple wardrobe pieces. In the words of Suzy Menkes, international
fashion editor at Vogue, the essence of the fashion house is embodied then pushed and
I quote “to the limits of decency and decadence.”
THE EARLY YEARS WITH PIERRE & YSL Slimane’s career within the fashion house
began in the 1990s where he took on an assistant role in fashion marketing and his work caught
the attention of Pierre Berge, co-founder and business partner of the namesake designer,
who would later instate Slimane in the position of ready-to-wear director of men's collections.
For the YSL Rive Gauche Homme Autumn/Winter collection of 2000 titled “Black Tie'' The
house founder, Yves, attended this show and keenly applauded Slimane's menswear. His vision
was first unveiled to the masses through Autumn/Winter1997 to Autumn/Winter2000 in a time where menswear
carried a very different tone to today.
It was a significant turning point for menswear as this very raw and foundation setting version
of the legacy silhouette would go on to define menswear looks in the 21st century. Though
this collection is lesser-known, the experimentation of line and fabrication combated traditional
language within menswear which would be crafted and honed further during his time at Dior.
In April of 2002, the designer would be the first in menswear to ever receive the CFDA
award for international Designer- signifying the relevancy of his vision is not just menswear
of the fashion house he was at, but in the industry as a whole.
DROPPING YVES In March 2012, Hedi Slimane would return to
Yves Saint Laurent as creative director, noted to have, “total creative responsibility
for the brand image and all of its collections.” His decision to drop “Yves” from the name
and branding caught attention but was often met with disdain or judgment. The first catalyst
that would stir controversy, much of the media unaware of the house’s history deemed this
“foolish” and “disrespectful.” The new name though not only, would represent
the transformative years of the house ahead, but actually is a very intimate tribute to
the original in reference to when the founder launched the ready-to-wear line in 1966. The
same font and nomenclature were utilized and brought back to life. A spokeswoman stated
Slimane ushered the original branding back in order to quote “restore the house to
its truth, purity, essence”.” This approach followed the path of Saint Laurent
Rive Gauche in concept. In an exclusive interview with Yahoo, Hedi Slimane stated, “It was
also a radical rupture. Yves wanted to dress the emerging Flower generation, which was
his own generation. It was a striking period of Ready-to-Wear for both women and men. Almost
fifty years after, the necessity was for me to transpose this idea, Yves’ freedom, this
age of innocence.
The return to the original name would also help me to recreate a legitimate and lost
balance between the Fashion and leather accessories, besides keeping women’s and men’s fashion
side by side. Those were the fundamentals I needed to restore, together with the progressive
allure and message of the Rive Gauche, which for me was always the true spirit of Yves
and Pierre.”
HOUSE HERITAGE & HISTORY MODERNIZED This social and historical relevance is necessary
because history often cycles in the same manner fashion does. At the birth of the original
ready-to-wear, the thought of luxury clothing for the masses was very beyond grasp. Also,
high fashion may be stereotypically taken as a pointless indulgence to many, so to make
the artistry and understanding of designer-made clothing coveted- it is a huge feat. Here
we have this precedent that high fashion is a part of youth culture. In the same interview,
Slimane stated, “Yves wanted his ready-to-wear to be wearable and laid back.” He would
often pull from past decades while capturing the era and spirit of the times. A component
of the fashion house’s success that was disoriented over time. [...] There was besides
no difference with what Pierre had told me when I came back in 2012: “Remember Yves
sent a peacoat on his first passage for his first runway, not an evening gown.”
In such a fast-paced industry, slowing down is an act of rebellion. There is much power
and beauty to be found and explored within this especially in a time where it is often
overlooked. There is also a need for an innate understanding of what is truly essential being
able to elevate this outside of what is traditionally taken as stylish or beautiful. Yves had this
understanding and Hedi Slimane, much like his rebranding to return to the house’s
roots, carries this understanding and interprets it through his vision. Craftsmanship and deliverance
within a tribute to the house’s original repertoire woven into modernity that truly
resonates with numerous demographics- devoid of trends and branding or stark embellishments
without purpose.
COLLECTIONS & SIGNIFICANT OFFERINGS For example, the innovation of the permanent
collection. consisting of key wardrobe staples in fine close-cut tailoring, explicit proportions,
and androgynous flourishes. The collection is an ode to timelessness and stability, meaning
it is meant for those who adapt fashion to his or her style, not the other way round.
Often met with the critique of not being groundbreaking, this type of fashion isn’t meant for spectacle
or shock value, what is groundbreaking here is craftsmanship. What you see is what you
get and that is every detail is constructed and refined to a very specific type of quality
to produce a garment with authenticity and longevity that is simple. This is a true luxury
collection for living- one of the reasons that, in spite of having a significantly smaller
retail network especially coming into a house with quite low relevance to a leading menswear
line, Saint Laurent was able to outperform the overall market for luxury goods.
Another example on the other end of the spectrum for those interested in the more avant-garde,
in the summer of 2015 the designer announced the relaunch of Yves Saint Laurent Couture
that had previously departed 10 years prior. Much in the manner of the original couture,
this is not meant for the masses, hence the exclusive label is not shown on a fashion
week schedule, but rather only to be for “friends of the house.” The project was titled “Rue
de L’Université” after the base of the new Couture House in Paris where the Yves
Saint Laurent name and iconic YSL logo was utilized.
The seasonal collections were highly influential and embraced, despite public conflicts of
interest much of the house's DNA remains intact through iterations that nod to the classics
such as Le Smoking, safari, and the look of the Saint Laurent woman was revived for current
life. Each collection reflected a nostalgic take on Parisian tones both contemporary and
historical, a more alternative LA and underground culture spirit that provides a bit of edge,
and tangibly captures this striking balance with novelty within each collection for both
women and men. This was attained through very grounded Grunge, Psych Rock, Bohemian, underground
music, and west coast codes of dress.
SLP AESTHETIC The designer in an interview stated, “There
is no rule, but it is always something current, a documentary idea, even when the movement
I comment on is partly rooted in history. Yves Saint Laurent invented the idea to play
with elements or proportions of past decades in his collections, but it was always in the
end about his own time and a creation of its own, the attitude of the moment, the polaroid
of a generation.“
This fashion was a reflection of life, a reflection of experience, one that reverberated with
many that looked into the past in admiration as well as into the future with desire while
remaining grounded in the present. The SLP aesthetic was echoed into numerous market
levels consistently for men and typically seasonally or as a byproduct of trends for
women. For anyone with an interest in fashion even if not personally aligned, this is one
of the most identifiable aesthetics. The attitude is typically effortless, the look is seemingly
rough around the edges and somewhat undone while still refined in nature. Often approached
with a formulaic take that does allow this level of accessibility while maintaining exclusivity
through key pieces. Those that truly resonate with tend to possess the romantics of this
look through demeanour, lifestyle, and attitude which is much more personal and compelling.
The ability to wear and style produce an appeal that isn’t offered anywhere else because
of the artistry of each garment. It allows for a differing type of beauty in image.
SAINT LAURENT IMAGE EVOLUTION Previous to Slimane, Stefano Pilati went for
a purely elevated and Parisian aesthetic and Tom Ford decided on an overtly sexy tone.
Clothing conveyed these aesthetics, but sales conducted during these two periods differed
greatly as they would cater to a smaller demographic by which these aligned. While the press in
celebration of celebrity culture or those who prefer a minimalist and softer aesthetic
may find preference in the creative direction of these designers- the founder was not as
fond of, experienced hardship in keeping the brand afloat, and after Yves' passing would
experience YSL stores closing in key U.S. markets. Slimane's imager direction would
be the one to restore the heart of the heritage and ensure financial stability- which would
allow for the YSL legacy to live on.
THE SAINT LAURENT WOMAN The Saint Laurent woman under Hedi Slimane’s
vision is one that mirrored the essence of the woman the founder himself would design
for- one that is not constrained by convention, someone free in spirit with confidence. Original
muses of the houses were notable for their individuality along with their beauty, Yves
famously stated, "I created the contemporary woman's wardrobe."
Slimane on his casting choices stated, “This was not in fashion at the time, neither was
this attitude and “nonchalance,” or my arty casting. The casting was coming straight
from my photography, bleached androgynous indie girls, the girls I know, [...] the kind
of intriguing beauty I understand. It was probably not at the time the idea the audience
had of a luxury brand. This casting was a radical shift.”
THE SAINT LAURENT MAN Though seasonally divided, collections carried
unisex offerings. In an interview with yahoo style, the designer expressed looking back
at his personal inspiration of rock heroes such as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, David
Bowie, "This is pretty much the origin of everything I did in design after that, a boy
or a girl with the same silhouette." Previous to his tenure, Saint Laurent was not the menswear
powerhouse it is today. Slimane brought the legacy silhouette that revolutionized at the
turn of the 21st century and became widespread during his time at Dior then carried on within
Saint Laurent codes of dress, a house with a foundation already rooted in androgyny.
On his menswear, he stated, “I constantly use my own vocabulary, and the sense of repetition
of the same signs, and semiotic, the permanence of a silhouette, or proportions, and overall
representation. I always believed in repetition, pursuing endlessly the same idea. You cannot
own more than one identified style and you need to evolve within the same codes.”
Yves carried this same tone in his work stating, “I am no longer concerned with sensation
and innovation, but with the perfection of my style.”
This image of a Saint Laurent man is the most eminent and captured in fine fabrics, pattern,
line, and silhouette to the extent that it did not just become distinguishable for this
newfound legacy of the Saint Laurent man but widely embraced, covet, and still sought after
which is evident by the brand value growth it produced.
BRAND VALUE GROWTH The meteoric rise of the fashion house through
his creative vision came to be from all categories of the dress. For context, most luxury houses
primarily have strong sales in shoes and bags- the most practical investment pieces for purchase.
Under Slimane’s creative direction, Business of Fashion reported, “Hedi has built up
the casualwear product categories and renewed the brand’s tailoring offer. Our business
with denim, tees, leather, and knitwear accounts for close to a third of the brand's sales.
Also very prominent are jackets.”
By the end of his tenure, the revenue of the house would regularly increase more than 20%
each year. Their highest operating margin ever was reported at a 37.4% fourth-quarter
revenue increase. Kering CEO Francois-Henri Pinault announced, “What Yves Saint Laurent
has achieved over the past four years represents a unique chapter in the history of the house.
I am very grateful to Hedi Slimane, and the whole Yves Saint Laurent team, for having
set the path that the house has successfully embraced, and which will grant longevity to
this legendary brand.”
During his transformative tenure, the fashion house has become the one we recognize today
both in terms of aesthetics and offerings as well as spirit, influence, and impact on
the industry. The legacy continues to evolve and the house’s history grows with time,
this era was a standout chapter that pioneered and revived the house’s spirit with a sensitivity,
modernity of idiosyncratic offering, and allure that went against the current. This was the
founder's intent and carried out through Hedi Slimane’s creative vision that fulfilled
the mission of Saint Laurent, “to create and market highly desirable products through
innovation and unparalleled quality and design.”