Can we talk about Saint Laurent?

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Can we talk about Saint Laurent?

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Here's the collection

http://www.style.com/fashionsh.....3RTW-YSLRG

And here's Manrepeller's take on it, the comments are quite good too.

http://www.manrepeller.com/201.....urent.html

Saint Laurent (formerly Yves Saint Laurent) to me should be aspirational. But this? I've seen it before, shades of Marc Jacobs infamous grunge collection for Perry Ellis way back when.

11 years ago

Fashion Week

13 replies

Latest reply was from catgirl

rae

(website)

Veteran

Hm. I should add the disclaimer that I don't follow specific runway shows as much as many of you, even though I do search the collections for inspiration. Still.... even I was kind of bored by this. You are right; we've seen it before (Courtney Love's closet in the 90s?), and I don't feel any new spin or refreshing quality (also, do the models seem... short to you? I digress). I understand Manrepeller's stance that the imaginary target audience for SL might not exist anymore, but if that is the case, then they should kinda sorta figure out who their new target audience will be.

11 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Here's some more press

http://jezebel.com/5988671/sai.....t=58007976

And you're spot on about Courtney Love, they just needed one of the models popping a zit at the end of the runway.

11 years ago

Day Vies

Veteran

I thought it was a little odd myself. I was wondering if it was a spin-off or a new brand when I flipped through this months Bazaar.

11 years ago

rae

(website)

Veteran

Ha!

11 years ago

Deborah

Veteran

Anna I'm not as fluent on designers as you are but this collection looks very "high street" and not what I expected. I felt there was a mash mash of inspirations and nothing I hadn't seen before. I felt a little disenchanted after checking it out.

11 years ago

Agnes

Active Member

I am sad about the name change. They have made it less beautiful.

11 years ago

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I LOVE Hedi Slimane but was disappointed with the collection, it is very Urban Outfitters/ Topshop in its design, so why would you choose to pay for Saint Laurant?

I hope he can come back from this.

11 years ago

krishnidoux

Veteran

I understand he wants to give SL a grunge inspired twist and attract and gain the loyalty of a certain young clientèle.

We have poison eye for this, but, we grew up in it, we've been there, done that, seen it.

Yet younger people may not remember.

Wait until a Hollywood tween star starts sporting it.

11 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

hedi may not be as long lived at (Y)SL, as wang will be at balenciaga.

gaultier, another recycler, did a collection that felt new to me.

11 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I enjoy Manrepeller's discussions of these collections, when I get a chance to read them.

Interesting though, that she makes the point about democratizing fashion and appealing to a broader audience. I don't see that in this collection, to be honest -- I see the same Courtney Love thing that's been mentioned here, and that doesn't impress me in the least. If Slimane was attempting to modernize the appeal of the brand, I'm not getting that from looking at these outfits. I do not see fresh when I look at them. It's been done before.

I see this collection appealing to very young girls. Maybe that's part of the problem in this collection -- I don't see the sophistication or refinement that makes a style inspiring or aspirational to me, even if its something I could never envision myself wearing.

11 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Well the Queen of Grunge Courtney Love, loved it

http://www.fashion-law.org/201.....TgOaI7FWRv

11 years ago

Jonesy

Veteran

I've followed the hubbub about it. I think the collection is awful. It doesn't even look like Topshop or UO to me--too dated for that. Maybe what UO was doing 10-15 years ago (though I think they were really into '80s at that point)? I looked at the collection a few times and am baffled. And, I love grunge and grunge-influenced looks! The Dries van Noten and 3.1 Phillip Lim shows for spring both used grunge as an inspiration, and they were fab. Lots of others are using plaid, wearing knit caps just so, etc. so grunge-influenced looks are pretty mainstream right now.

I'm just not sure *why* he produced such a sad, uninspired, bad show. Either he is hopelessly out of touch and thought he was adding something new or exciting, or he is deliberately poking his finger in the eye of critics, fans, potential buyers, or...? Can't figure out the *why* here.

11 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

Ugh. I don't follow couture houses or designers generally, so to me this just looks like a collection of dated stuff from a thrift store. Is there IRONY, or NOSTALGIA, or HOMAGE involved? I dunno, the average consumer can get this look at UO for a lot less. Street fashion trickles upward which is good and democratic, but this is more redundant than inspired to me.

11 years ago

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