90s grunge is set to continue to rock the fashion world as Saint Laurent unveils their latest line

Saint Laurent has always been seen as a quintessentially French brand that consistently offered classically styled designs. That was, of course, until Hedi Slimane was appointed helm of the brand. 

In June of 2012 when Slimane was hired, he renamed the fashion label Saint Laurent and with it came a flurry of controversy: people found this either brilliant or disrespectful. 

Showcasing the most recent Saint Laurent collection at Paris Fashion Week, it appears that the controversial creator is not planning on pulling in the reins anytime soon, but is that really such a bad thing? 

The Saint Laurent brand is aimed at smart, strong women and although there are no suits and only a few soft shades in this collection, that doesn’t mean the target audience won’t be interested. Much like the new brand name, the most recent fashion line is refreshing and innovative and even though the pieces almost seem to be a polar opposite of what Yves Saint Laurent originally created, perhaps Slimane is simply moving with the times. 

When Yves Saint Laurent first came into the fashion world, the man – and the company – was often seen as a rebel compared to the muted styling of other designers. Not only did Saint Laurent bring forth androgynous styling (leather jackets and trouser suits), but also the brand was one of the first to hire models of different ethnicities on the catwalk.

So perhaps Slimane is simply only following in the original’s footsteps by breaking fashion boundaries and offering some provocative ideas for the fashion industry to contend with? It is a bold move and has to be said, much like Yves Saint Laurent himself, Slimane is nothing if not audacious. 

Some say it was more high street than catwalk, but hard-working women don’t spend all of their money on clothes and all of their time in designer wear. Understandably, when you are watching a fashion show from one of the most prestigious, iconic brands you expect more than high-street-inspired clothes. But this wasn’t supposed to be a couture range, and just because the line is a little more relaxed, grungy and, dare we say, gothic than expected, it doesn’t make it any less fabulous.

It is clear to see that this Saint Laurent line is an attempt at widening the marketing group and although some critics feel it falls flat, others are able to note what the designer is trying to do: revitalise the French brand and bring forth the L A cool style he clearly loves. 

A question which keeps popping to mind is: If Yves Saint Laurent was alive now and started this fashion label in 2013 would his designs look something like this? Or is Hedi Slimane missing the point completely? We shall never know.

Emily Vierke