Hedi Slimane - Designer

[Deleted member 7575]

that letter sounds like it could have been written by Pierre.

 

[CrisGalaxy]

agree, it's actually not signed.

Hmm... when I first saw the letter I noticed something weird; it wasn't typed with Helvetica... I mean, Helvetica is to Hedi like peanut butter is to jelly and everyone knows that Hedi adores that typeface. This typeface is so not Hedi in any way, why would he use it?? Maybe it was Pierre who actually wrote it.

 

[lemeray]

Agree that it might be Pierre who wrote it?! It's like a sin for Hedi to use any other font than Helvetica. Hedi is very specific with his presentation style. The letter looks 'messy' and created by someone else.

 

[MulletProof]

I don't buy that, the 40 going on 14 "goth" aura he attempted to create gives Hedi away. He probably just got too much energy and zero objections.. he's surrounded by worshipers.

 

[t-rex]

The font in the letter is used to mimic NYT. That letter is incredible... This is so fun to watch.

Appropriately, Hedi's Twitter account is called hedislimanetwit

 

[Lena]

'An open letter to Hedi Slimane' by Laura Craik
up at The Times UK (subscr. only)

does anyone has access to the full article ?
this Hedi case is proved more fun than expected
its a big little drrrama

 

[balmain1914]

I can see the full article without subscribing...

 

[HeatherAnne]

I can see the full article without subscribing...

Could you copy and paste please? Because I can't either. Would appreciate it!

 

[t-rex]

Laura Craik
Paris Fashion Week
Published at 12:01AM, October 3 2012

His first collection for Yves Saint Laurent was the most anticipated show of the Paris season, but Hedi Slimane didn’t make it easy for the critics to like. Or even see. So I thought I’d write him a letter to explain why . . .

Dear Mr Slimane,

We’ve never met, but I felt that, since we both like Daft Punk and skinny leather trousers, I should reach out to you, as they say in LA, and explain why your first collection for Yves Saint Laurent put a few backs up. It’s cool that you live there, by the way, even though you are Creative Director of an iconic French brand. I wouldn’t much like to live in Paris either. The internet is too slow.

I don’t know if it was intentional, but you didn’t make journalists feel very welcome at your show. Some, you didn’t invite at all. Others had to stand, or were given seats so bad they could only see the top half of the models, which made it tricky to report on the clothes. Nobody minded sitting behind Azzedine Alaïa, but that all those glum-looking indie kids in black drainpipes got to see the clothes from the front row seemed a little insulting. I respect that you value your friends so highly, but I don’t respect some of the people on the YSL payroll who were unnecessarily rude. Friends who have met you swear you are a lovely, laid-back bloke, so this seems weird.

It was really cool to get Daft Punk to edit the music for your show. And it was really cool to have Kate Moss sit on your front row. She also sat front row when Stefano Pilati and Tom Ford were creative directors of YSL, but that’s OK: sometimes Alexa Chung just doesn’t cut it, even though she also dates hot, skinny musicians. Kate Moss is a legend and an icon: 22 years after Corinne Day first shot her, women still want to be her, a fact which wasn’t lost on Sir Philip Green and is clearly not lost on you, either. Those cigarette pants you did were made for her, and so were the tunic dresses.

What you did with menswear at Dior Homme was nothing short of genius, even though I never saw a collection as I don’t cover menswear, so I feel a bit faux writing that, but I do honestly mean it. I did used to cover music, though, when I worked at The Face in another life, so I know what it’s like secretly to wish you were a musician. Music always has been and always will be cooler than fashion. Oh, if you could only render the whumping opening chords of Da Funk in stretch-leather. Still, at least you can dress the people who make the magic happen. And their girlfriends.

Another thing: those e-mails. I received the one about how I should refer to the house of Yves Saint Laurent, and have noted that the house is referred to as Yves Saint Laurent, collection credits should read Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane, and Saint Laurent Paris is used in the logo but not when spoken or written about the collection. Despite these stipulations, though, and despite having sat through your show, I still don’t feel clear about your intentions for the brand. That you don’t want to give even a quote in this regard is your prerogative, just as it is mine to venture my opinion. But in the black wake of your silence, conjecture will surely breed.

Because the thing is, you can’t control everything. You just can’t. You can control your brand’s image to the nth degree, and so you should: it worked for Burberry. But you can’t control people’s reactions. And I really hope you don’t want to try. If you were a suit, I wouldn’t expect you to understand that. But you’re not. You’re Hedi Slimane. All the things you seem to love and value — music, fun, sexiness — require freedom. You have yours. I have mine. Without it, we are nothing. So please, don’t ban me from your next show, because I really want to see it. We all do. We like you, even though you treat us like a b*tch.

Yours sincerely,

Laura

TheTimes.co.uk

 

[barbiestolemyDVN]

^ Sizzle. Your move Hedi.

 

[HeatherAnne]

Thanks t-rex!

Another thing: those e-mails. I received the one about how I should refer to the house of Yves Saint Laurent, and have noted that the house is referred to as Yves Saint Laurent, collection credits should read Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane, and Saint Laurent Paris is used in the logo but not when spoken or written about the collection.

. . .Wow.

 

[GERGIN]

Ok, I officially dislike Hedi now, I can't believe for so long I actually thought he could be a decent person, but now he really annoys me.

He must not take a liking to critics at all, which makes me believe his self-esteem is at a low. I get it, it's his first womenswear presentation, there is a chance he'll adapt to making better collections and I don't mind this collection to some extent.

I officially agree this was all hyped to the max, and I feel so ashamed that I actually thought he was a decent designer. But people are right, there was something about Stefano's approach that really drew the viewers attention...he may have hit highs and lows on some occasions but at least his clothes were distinctive and in some ways his own, or maybe I just appreciate the Italian's eye for French Fashion.

Shame on Hedi, he's such a baby about critics reviewing his collections but he has the balls to fire someone for possibly not recognizing him? Hedi is who I call a bully.

 

[Marc10]

I think Laura Craik's letter is just as unnecessary as Hedi's to Cathy. It's like she's just jumping on the hate bandwagon and creating more drama just for the sake of it.

 

[balmain1914]

This is simple, an overrated kid refuses to face the adult world ( criticism ) and fights in his childish way.

BTW, As I said before, this brand had been notorious for years ( poor PR Team ), since the Stefano quitting rumors began. This brand wants attention, like KL.

 

[Dann]

I think Laura Craik's letter is just as unnecessary as Hedi's to Cathy. It's like she's just jumping on the hate bandwagon and creating more drama just for the sake of it.

I agree, especially considering that Business of Fashion had already iterated most of these points in that very widely-circulated post. She also made it a bit personal by addressing it to Slimane as opposed to YSL as a company.

So I was never a huge fan of Pilati's work for the brand, and it's still too soon to compare, but: at least when Pilati was bad, he was interesting. I hate calling collections boring, and I don't think this was a boring collection, but it just wasn't very interesting.

 

[Deleted member 130879]

TheTimes.co.uk

Well... That seems more like a hate letter to Kate Moss than to Hedi.

Are them for real? Like... Every journalist looks more like a "hate-letter" for being bad treated than for the collection. It's like "No seats? Just wait for me, b*tch".

To be honest, I think there's only one or two critics that actually wrote about the collection. All the others are just bitching around.

I'm still waiting for the critics to talk about the construction, the fabrics,...

And don't make me even start with the "oh the Boho is sooo 06-07". The 60's are so 09-10 and OVERDONE and I don't see anyone bitching about the collections.

Haters gonna hate, potatoes gonna potate.

Oh and by the way... this collection will look great with the ones by Ann D and Gareth Pugh.

 

[blackcherrified]

I cringe at the sight of the new Saint Laurent Paris website. It's definitely nothing in relation with Yves Saint Laurent, Saint Laurent Rive Gauche or anything near it.

It's now Hedi Slimane Los Angeles.

(The bags, the bags, why did he destroy the Muse Two and Cabas Chyc and bring in something like a "Recreate-Chanel-2.55" project from the "Handbag Design 101" module, or Vionnet style or Roger Vivier style clutches? Why???)

 

[disco54]

I just looked at the new website, its totally Hedi Dior Homme lol, 90% of the items are black, the tribute sandals are gone (just black remains lol) . Honestly its too dark and depressing for the YSL customer. The accessories and shoes suck.

 

[lepetitcouturier]

I just looked at the new website, its totally Hedi Dior Homme lol, 90% of the items are black, the tribute sandals are gone (just black remains lol) . Honestly its too dark and depressing for the YSL customer. The accessories and shoes suck.

He's supposed to use the brand as inspiration, not Yves' personal life xD

 

[TianCouture]

I just looked at the new website, its totally Hedi Dior Homme lol, 90% of the items are black, the tribute sandals are gone (just black remains lol) . Honestly its too dark and depressing for the YSL customer. The accessories and shoes suck.

The Trib's are on there under current collection. My sister just purchased them in black/white. The artsy ring, etc. are gone. A lot of people will be alienated by this bad move. It was a popular, affordable style like by millions.