I have to admit, before Hedi Slimane worked his creative magic at Yves Saint Laurent, I personally thought of this major Parisian fashion house as just another 'big name', nothing special and to be honest... A tad boring (sorry!) Since I was still attending nursery when the great Tom Ford was head of womenswear at YSL, I unfortunatly missed that milestone in the brands growth. Out with the old and in with the new, was Ford's slogan as he reinvented Yves Saint Laurent with a sexy twist and sense of Parisian chic that only Ford could muster up for his faithful customers. And then he left in 2004, and the great Ford Era came to an aburpt end.
Then came Stefano Pilati, (whom I do remember!), and his more reserved yet beautifully tailored designs that once again plotted YSL on the fashion radar. Elegant and wearable, Pilati brought his Italian, suave attitude to the centre point of womens fashion with his minimalist coats, furry stoles and sensual shift dresses. Yet he did not 'excite' me. No, YSL back then was mediocre, (I feel I am really winding Pilati fans up the wrong way!) With the merry-go-round of designers jumping here and there during 2012; Raf Simons moving into Dior, Alexander Wang to Balenciaga and most importantly the Dior Homme designer Hedi Slimane making himself comfortable at Yves Saint Laurent, one did not know what to think. Two seasons on and Hedi Slimane has ruled the roost all the way.
The fashion world waited with baited breath in October 2012, for the new Saint Laurent womenswear show at Paris fashion week to begin, and they were NOT disappointed. Excitement and suprise was generated when Slimane stated that the womenswear collection would be restored to its former title under the man himself - Saint Laurent Paris. A change in creative director and a change in brand identity - things were certainly shifting at Yves Saint Laurent.
And now for the collection, becuase it was quite a show! Boho style 70s maxis graced down the catwalk, large fedora hats and subtle references to the iconic 'Le Smoking Suit' were all presented to a front row which included everyone from Kate Moss and Salma Hayek to the ice queen herself, Anna Wintour. Skinny pants, masculine silhouettes, hints of a hidden gypsy and very cool, Slimane had arrived... And he knew it.
This season, Slimane kept with this dark, slightly gothic woman and gave us yet another cool, energetic and youthful collection. Perhaps the new Saint Laurent customer is a pack of edgy teenage girls as this season it was all about blingy hot pants and mini dresses. Oh yes, tartan dresses, fox fur coats casually hung over the shoulders, black army boots, leather skirts and a whole lotta atitude dominated the runway. And even though the whole collection was prodominantly black, it was a black that partied like a rockstar - hip, hot and dare I say it, slightly fun! Personally, I'd take the floral printed a-symmetric mini dress and the divine wool duffle coat that Miss Delevingne worked so well. And if I had to pick a third - any one of those hot black dresses that could so easily be dressed down for day and dressed up to party the night away in a swanky New York night club. This was indeed a collection that marked good old teen spirit with so many wearable wool cardigans and gorgeous warm coats, just right for those cold winter days.
Mr Slimane, you've done it again. I don't know what that something is but it's very cool, slightly androgynous and I love it. What will you do next season? We'll just have to wait and see...
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