Only a week ago I was discussing the fate of creative directors that nowadays don’t seem to keep their positions for long. Yesterday we saw the news about Hedi Slimane, and his departure from Saint Laurent is no April Fools.
While Hedi’s four-year work is widely appreciated as revamping the iconic brand, looking at Yves Saint Laurent’s sketches I couldn’t help noticing similarities. Dropping the “Yves” from the brand’s name, the French designer still managed to keep the spirit, and today I suggest taking time to appreciate this.
When I was writing about creative directors in fashion industry, I mentioned Hedi Slimane in connection with the buzz about him parting ways with Saint Laurent. However, seven days ago I couldn’t have predicted the announcement made by Kering officials. Yesterday I was under impression with the news and still thinking about it when I went to the library; having nothing specific in mind, I unconsciously picked Yves Saint Laurent’s designs and sketches for the morning reading.
Yves Saint Laurent now is an icon. His life, his vision, the style he created. When Slimane cut off the icon’s first name, it was a risky move, perceived by many as a strong statement too close to disrespect. Remember “Ain’t Laurent Without Yves”? While everything was done to make the brand more contemporary, fresh and trendsetting, there were some doubts about the preservation of the soul and spirit of the fashion house. When I went to the roots discovering more about the YSL designs of the past, I got reassured that the name is just a name, and there are things much more important which Slimane treated with respect.
This material is presented as a dialogue between the two designers on several topics. As their interaction was only present in the form of Hedi Slimane taking inspiration from Yves Saint Laurent, I decided to use the quotes of the latter and show how his thoughts formed his own designs, and later the ones of Slimane.
Suits
– A woman is only attractive in pants if she wears them with all her femininity, not like a George Sand. Yves Saint Laurent
Original design by Yves Saint Laurent vs Hedi Slimane’s Saint Laurent, Spring/Summer 2014
Le smoking
– For a woman, le smoking is an indispensable garment with which she finds herself continually in fashion, because it is about style, not fashion. Fashions come and go, but style is forever. Yves Saint Laurent
Original design by Yves Saint Laurent vs Hedi Slimane’s Saint Laurent, Fall/Winter 2015-16
Black
– Black is a refuge because it expresses what I want. With it, everything becomes simpler, more linear, more dramatic. Yves Saint Laurent
Original design by Yves Saint Laurent vs Hedi Slimane’s Saint Laurent, Fall/Winter 2016-17
Simplicity
– Today, it is extreme simplicity that gives me my greatest joy. Getting to it being everything and nothing at the same time. Yves Saint Laurent
Original design by Yves Saint Laurent vs Hedi Slimane’s Saint Laurent, Spring/Summer 2016
Street
– The street and me is a love story. Yves Saint Laurent
Original design by Yves Saint Laurent vs Hedi Slimane’s Saint Laurent, Fall/Winter 2014-15
Party
– Fashion is like a party. Getting dressed is preparing to play a role. Yves Saint Laurent
Original design by Yves Saint Laurent vs Hedi Slimane’s Saint Laurent, Fall/Winter 2016-17
Marocco
– Pink, blue, green and violet caftans mingle. These groups look as if they have been drawn and painted, that are reminiscent of sketches by Delacroix, and it is surprising to say that they are, in fact, merely an improvisation on life. Yves Saint Laurent
Original design by Yves Saint Laurent vs Hedi Slimane’s Saint Laurent, Spring/Summer 2013
History
– Nostalgia is like a dreaming awake. I am definitely a dreamer. Yves Saint Laurent
Original design by Yves Saint Laurent vs Hedi Slimane’s Saint Laurent, Spring/Summer 2013
Gold
– I love gold, a magical color, for the reflection of a woman. It is the color of the sun. Yves Saint Laurent
Original design by Yves Saint Laurent vs Hedi Slimane’s Saint Laurent, Spring/Summer 2014
Rule
– My essential rule is to elongate women, and above all, to make them look thinner. After all, all that remains is to make their jewelry look bigger. Yves Saint Laurent
Original design by Yves Saint Laurent vs Hedi Slimane’s Saint Laurent, Fall/Winter 2016-17
Fashions fade, style is eternal. Yves Saint Laurent
At this point we can only wait for the new announcements and hope that the next creative director will be no less than Hedi Slimane capable of maintaining the style.
by Ksyusha Task
