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Well. I must say this. I had time to re-think my almost hateful behavior towards Hedi Slimane's work, which is why this review in particular will be the most positive I ever wrote about him, in a financial-wise way, only!
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Saint Laurent Paris, under Slimane's creative direction, has become the most cool, desperately wanted brand of our times, and he has managed to be entitled the enfent terrible of the industry, for no more than his undeniably unimaginative creations that still create huge buzz. You see, he took the old-time classic maison from a cult label to a hip one, and that apparently sells (taking under consideration the numerous waiting lists throughout the globe). But of course everything is a matter of timing, and the odds this time were totally in his favor.
The 2010s are all about mass-consumption and Zara-ism, so the ones to prevail in the high-end scene are those to be copied by fast fashion chains. Then the trend goes huge and of course the ones who manage to shop from the source get the highest mark, or at least that's what they think. (e.g tartan is in fashion, but those who wear a Saint Laurent tartan piece are cooler than those who wear a Zara one). This exact philosophy of the new age fashion-victims give Slimane the strength to continue and obviously Pierre Berge a strong reason not to fire him. And he goes on, he creates this look, this "indie-rock", "teen-rebel", "haven't washed my hair yet my outfit costs twice your house" kind of look, and he makes press go wild in any way.
He is a good stylist, I'll give him that. He or his team anyway. So while I hated his current collection for being utterly unimaginative and creatively awful, the outcome, meaning the very outfits were maybe the coolest thing. It's like you see the pages of vogue walk down a runway, but this is only a stylistic illusion I'm not willing to fall for.
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For spring/summer 2014 it seems like he looked back on the archives once more (after his bad received debut collection) recreating the "Le Smoking" tuxedo in his indie way (in a presumably well-received and crave-attracting leather version) and Mr.Yves's suits in the 80s with the power shape shoulders. The glam element wasn't absent of course (casual "keeping it trendy" Slimane), and of course a hint of stripes. Then you have the killer leather jackets, that again are not innovative but he so created a crave for them. Some op art dresses and surrealistic lips (reminding me these of Salvador Dali back in the 1930s) which work as an instant Saint Laurent alert signal. Slimane knows how to create an identity for himself.
Maybe for today's standards, Hedi is l'enfent terrible, but for all I know he is not in any possible way the new Moschino or McQueen (both named "enfents terribles" in their own times) and the sad part is that this kid in particular had the once legendary house of Yves Saint Laurent become his playground, a grossing Disneyland, minus the imagination..
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| I know what you're thinking about the 3rd look. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year With the kids jingle belling And everyone telling you "Be of good cheer" |