Saint Laurent Resort 2015

[gazebo]

I like a lot of it. I would clean it up to make it more now and less literal. You can see the quality of craftsmanship. I wish he would give us colorful pictures sometimes, YSL is SO about COLOR.

 

[softgrey]

there is something very isabel marant about this...

on another note-
he really is living the dream...
he makes the clothes he loves and then styles them exactly how he sees them and then shoots them exactly the way he wants...
and gets paid well to do it...

not a bad gig...

 

[blackkohl]

Love the cape/dress(?) with the star embroidery. Hate the rest.

 

[VersaceVixen009]

As a rock fan I like this collection but is strage to see how YSL turns to Free People..

OMG I literally had the same reaction about how it's similar to Free People. Never mind the fact that I think he destroyed the historic heritage of the brand, but I think his work is just so repetitive.

 

[dior_couture1245]

It's become clear to me what the issue is with Slimane's Saint Laurent. I have no problem with designers referencing - even quite literally - vintage, thrift shop clothes. All designers do it, whether you like it or not.

The problem is that Hedi puts out no effort whatsoever to recontextualize these pieces. There's no perspective aside from looking like a teenager who just stepped out of her local Salvation Army. Someone like John Galliano at Dior and at his namesake during his early 00's magpie period created so many clothes that were extremely vintage looking - I'm sure oftentimes an exact replica, but it was the way he mixed those pieces that really made all those items look new and look interesting and look personal to his vision. Marc Jacobs and Prada are a few other designers who also references vintage heavily, and yet the results are always recontextualized just enough for it to be extremely provoking.

There is no imagination with Hedi at Saint Laurent. These clothes and especially the way they are styled and marketed is way, way too straight forward. Because a lot of these pieces ARE actually gorgeous...but there's simply nothing unexpected here.

 

[orchidee]

Totally agree about the Free People comparison. I was going to say this is just an overpriced version, but FP itself is already way overpriced

I really don't get why there is so much hype about Slimane. Critics keep writing that he's bringing clothes from the past into the future, but really you could literally achieve the same look with items from the mall. I mean seriously you could go to Forever 21 and get the same look.

 

[softgrey]

are there colour images of this stuff somewhere?

 

[Phuel]

there is something very isabel marant about this...

on another note-
he really is living the dream...
he makes the clothes he loves and then styles them exactly how he sees them and then shoots them exactly the way he wants...
and gets paid well to do it...

not a bad gig...

LOL

Isn't that what most, if not all of us here, are striving for...? God only knows how long I have to endure commercial/consumer trash before I can do my own thing and get paid handsomely... My god, I loathe department-store crap and its bland presentation. So good for Hedi for creating a very strong vision-- even if the designs may not be so strong, and, that sells well, and-- that's true to what he believes in.

Anyway, once separated from their always heavy-- and too-literal in reference styling, I think his designs are very accessible to all types, and quite timeless. I've always admired Hedi for always sticking to what he loves, and being so consistent with his offerings-- even if I may not like it. A lot of the pieces that I see in the stores are quite plain, but there's so much potential in that plainness to make it your own. Granted, a $3,000+ studded-denim jacket is not a design I'd ever be interested in, but his more tailored pieces are always supreme and so sharp. And when it comes to the embroidered, embellished pieces that are the definition of effortless opulence and casual decadence, to me anyways, I don't see anything mall-ish, Forever 21 and Top Shop about them.

I don't think you always have to reinvent the wheel in order to be leading in high fashion.

 

[Les_Sucettes]

LOL

Isn't that what most, if not all of us here, are striving for...? God only knows how long I have to endure commercial/consumer trash before I can do my own thing and get paid handsomely... My god, I loathe department-store crap and its bland presentation. So good for Hedi for creating a very strong vision-- even if the designs may not be so strong, and, that sells well, and-- that's true to what he believes in.

Anyway, once separated from their always heavy-- and too-literal in reference styling, I think his designs are very accessible to all types, and quite timeless. I've always admired Hedi for always sticking to what he loves, and being so consistent with his offerings-- even if I may not like it. A lot of the pieces that I see in the stores are quite plain, but there's so much potential in that plainness to make it your own. Granted, a $3,000+ studded-denim jacket is not a design I'd ever be interested in, but his more tailored pieces are always supreme and so sharp. And when it comes to the embroidered, embellished pieces that are the definition of effortless opulence and casual decadence, to me anyways, I don't see anything mall-ish, Forever 21 and Top Shop about them.

I don't think you always have to reinvent the wheel in order to be leading in high fashion.

It's all very well,the only problem for me is that he manages to do all this because it's sold under the Yves Saint Laurent label, he uses the label to sell his vision.
I do not think people dispute that Hedi has a place in fashion, even high fashion, his brand of expensive delicately done rock clothes is a successful business idea. Look at Isabel Marant, she works on exactly the same premise of "luxe ordinary" and she does incredibly well.
But a house like Saint Laurent deserve much more than this, he lack a certain warmth, colour and exoticism and frankly imagination to create something fascinating.

 

[Urban Stylin]

why does the presentation/ads always look the same

 

[GIVENCHYlover]

are there colour images of this stuff somewhere?

Check the SS15 menswear collection

 

[Phuel]

It's all very well,the only problem for me is that he manages to do all this because it's sold under the Yves Saint Laurent label, he uses the label to sell his vision.
I do not think people dispute that Hedi has a place in fashion, even high fashion, his brand of expensive delicately done rock clothes is a successful business idea. Look at Isabel Marant, she works on exactly the same premise of "luxe ordinary" and she does incredibly well.
But a house like Saint Laurent deserve much more than this, he lack a certain warmth, colour and exoticism and frankly imagination to create something fascinating.

It just comes down to a matter of preference, I suppose.

I think Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent Paris works. His taking inspiration from the kids, the clubs, indie bands and festivals that he's always loved seems genuine to me, unlike so many other designers whom just sort of dabble in and only slightly scratch the surface of their inspiration and then move on to something else. Hedi seems to be fully invested in his inspiration and having made it SLP's identity for the long run.

Hedi's never been that designer that ignites the imagination. So I never expected wild and fantastical offerings from him. Even at his best-- when he was with Dior Homme, and with YSL Men, the designs always were very much grounded in a casual-- albeit, very expensive and luxurious, accessibility. And just like his YSL Men and Dior Homme days, I think the lack of warmth and color now with SLP is very consistent with who he is. That may be interpreted by some as lacking depth, versatility, diversity-- whatever you'd like to label it. And I can understand that. But with Hedi, that sense of aloofness, distance, even an iciness, work for his designs, and for this new Saint Laurent Paris. To me anyways.

I like this new identity he's branded Saint Laurent with. Sure it's not original: Anna Sui has been plundering the rockstar wardrobe since the beginning of her career. But, unlike Anna, Hedi has that impressive arsenal of impeccably tailored and couture-y pieces that stand on their own when separated from their rockstar styling. I never saw that with Anna's stuff-- which is the epitome of fun costumes to me, and more comparable with the affordable, throwaway high-street offerings that so many unfairly dismiss Hedi's designs as.

why does the presentation/ads always look the same

That's just Hedi's creative direction for owning a look.

I like that a lot. Doesn't work for every label, but it works for him and SLP.

 

[VersaceVixen009]

It's all very well,the only problem for me is that he manages to do all this because it's sold under the Yves Saint Laurent label, he uses the label to sell his vision.

THIS. I don't understand why does Hedi not do what he's doing under his own label? Why doesn't he just establish his own?

 

[Marc10]

THIS. I don't understand why does Hedi not do what he's doing under his own label? Why doesn't he just establish his own?

Why should he? He has his job here. That's what a creative director is supposed to do. They hired him to apply his vision and sell clothes. Balenciaga, Dior, Balmain, Givenchy... all these old couture houses only survived because designers came in and gave a new life to the brand. YSL was desperately needing that. I still don't understand this outrage...

 

[VersaceVixen009]

Why should he? He has his job here. That's what a creative director is supposed to do. They hired him to apply his vision and sell clothes. Balenciaga, Dior, Balmain, Givenchy... all these old couture houses only survived because designers came in and gave a new life to the brand. YSL was desperately needing that. I still don't understand this outrage...

But the difference with Dior is that Galliano still stuck to the brand's signature silhouette and wonderful couture. Galliano just added theatrics to the brand. Raf's stuff too is very traditional Dior, if anything he also restored an even more traditional Dior. And look at Lanvin, Alber follows tradition and add's a little bit of his own quirkiness. There's a huge difference between respecting a house's heritage with a touch of personal vision and completely destroying a house's heritage and doing one's completely own vision. Why work at someone else's house or a historical brand when you only want to do your own vision?

 

[marcBarna]

But the difference with Dior is that Galliano still stuck to the brand's signature silhouette and wonderful couture. Galliano just added theatrics to the brand. Raf's stuff too is very traditional Dior, if anything he also restored an even more traditional Dior. And look at Lanvin, Alber follows tradition and add's a little bit of his own quirkiness. There's a huge difference between respecting a house's heritage with a touch of personal vision and completely destroying a house's heritage and doing one's completely own vision. Why work at someone else's house or a historical brand when you only want to do your own vision?

Amen

 

[Marc10]

But the difference with Dior is that Galliano still stuck to the brand's signature silhouette and wonderful couture. Galliano just added theatrics to the brand. Raf's stuff too is very traditional Dior, if anything he also restored an even more traditional Dior. And look at Lanvin, Alber follows tradition and add's a little bit of his own quirkiness. There's a huge difference between respecting a house's heritage with a touch of personal vision and completely destroying a house's heritage and doing one's completely own vision. Why work at someone else's house or a historical brand when you only want to do your own vision?

Remember Dior in the 00s? The sl*tty mayhem? That's when they started to sell and come back to relevancy. Anyway, each designer has its own way of approaching the job. Saying that Slimane is "completely destroying a house's heritage" is quite overdramatic. Every collection he did so far had lots of nods to the past. One may not enjoy what he does, but to dismiss that he cares about the brand is simply wrong. I think it's silly to turn the "history of the house" into a limitation rather than a source.

 

[Deleted member 7575]

It just comes down to a matter of preference, I suppose.

I think Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent Paris works. His taking inspiration from the kids, the clubs, indie bands and festivals that he's always loved seems genuine to me, unlike so many other designers whom just sort of dabble in and only slightly scratch the surface of their inspiration and then move on to something else. Hedi seems to be fully invested in his inspiration and having made it SLP's identity for the long run.

Hedi's never been that designer that ignites the imagination. So I never expected wild and fantastical offerings from him. Even at his best-- when he was with Dior Homme, and with YSL Men, the designs always were very much grounded in a casual-- albeit, very expensive and luxurious, accessibility. And just like his YSL Men and Dior Homme days, I think the lack of warmth and color now with SLP is very consistent with who he is. That may be interpreted by some as lacking depth, versatility, diversity-- whatever you'd like to label it. And I can understand that. But with Hedi, that sense of aloofness, distance, even an iciness, work for his designs, and for this new Saint Laurent Paris. To me anyways.

I like this new identity he's branded Saint Laurent with. Sure it's not original: Anna Sui has been plundering the rockstar wardrobe since the beginning of her career. But, unlike Anna, Hedi has that impressive arsenal of impeccably tailored and couture-y pieces that stand on their own when separated from their rockstar styling. I never saw that with Anna's stuff-- which is the epitome of fun costumes to me, and more comparable with the affordable, throwaway high-street offerings that so many unfairly dismiss Hedi's designs as.




That's just Hedi's creative direction for owning a look.

I like that a lot. Doesn't work for every label, but it works for him and SLP.

I agree with all of this. I was not a huge fan of his when he began and I don't even like what he does now but I think he's made Saint Laurent ready-to-wear what it needs to be. I think he's breathed life into a brand that hasn't really been in important in over two decades.

And as much as folks complain about Hedi's makeover, that's it's all him and none of Yves... Well he was Yves' chosen successor! I actually think Saint Laurent would be pretty happy with what Slimane has done. Frankly it's his house to remodel as he sees fit.

Also, the Saint Laurent label was never that inventive. It produced easy classics like peacoats, peasant blouses, cargo jackets, etc. Really a lot of things Slimane is doing now. The imaginative and signature collections came from the Yves Saint Laurent label, the couture label which Slimane is actually reviving. So who knows what's yet to come.

 

[Phuel]

^^^ I felt the same way when SLP first debuted.

I still don't like some of the presentations/styling, but what I liked, and was most impressed with, was how directional, how focused and how strong Hedi's design identity-- the vision was for the label.

You know, that's fine if you don't like the direction he's given to the label, but I don't see a lack of respect for Yves, nor do I think that's ever the case. If anything, he's made YSL relevant for the times. Marc and yourself already pointed out the obvious YSL signatures that's become a mainstay in Hedi's SLP shows-- just on, and in a younger form now. I feel those complaining seem to just hate how Hedi's branded the YSL label...? Would bringing in LouLou and Daniel for the campaigns instead of the young indie types satisfy some people's need for "true" YSL?

If all a designer coming into an old House did was rigidly "respect" the signatures of the original designer without trying anything new, anything different, anything that is their own-- my god, that would be the most boring and timid approach.

 

[gossiping]

this is super cool, like always!