STEFANO PILATI OUT AT YSL, HEDI SLIMANE OR RAF SIMONS IN?

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Hedi  (via: wwd)

Suzy Menkes has acted like she has known for months; and finally it has been made official by the house: Stefano Pilati is leaving Yves Saint Laurent. His contract is up in one month, and the suits at Pinault-Printemps-Redoute have not renewed his contract. Though on a positive note, his Paris show next week (March 5th) will be his swansong; cue sobs and weeping from the fashion press and an outpouring of emotion similar to the scenes at Jil Sander this weekend. I will also expect a highly collectible collection. 

So why is Stefano out? The informed thinking in Paris is that the PPR bosses didn't think his work was up there in the brilliance stakes, and his collections occasionally seemed very laboured; anyone remember that disastrous scene in The September Issue? They also allegedly didn't like the way Stefano conducted himself socially, with a general implication that he was back to his old ways (he has been open about his drink and drug habits in the past, like in this interview with Vice). Or perhaps after eight years as Creative Director of Yves Saint Laurent, and with founder of the house Mr Saint Laurent long since dead, it is simply time for fresh energy to inject new life into the reputation of the house, which in turn will boost sales.

Commenting on the announcement, Yves Saint Laurent Chief Executive Officer Paul Deneve said 'We are all at Yves Saint Laurent grateful to Stefano for his important achievements in advancing the mission and success of this historic and treasured fashion house.' 

Kate and Stefano Pilati (via Fashionista) 

It is expected that one of two men will take up the post at Yves Saint Laurent. The favoured contender has long been Hedi Slimane the highly creative designer, photographer and art director who ran YSL menswear with a very specific vision from 2001 to 2007. He is in line to oversee the entire creative side of Yves Saint Laurent, an opportunity he hinted he has been waiting for. 

Raf Simons sheds a tear as he takes to the runway for his second encore at his last Jil Sander show at the weekend 

Also now in the frame is 44 year old Belgian modernist Raf Simons who is leaving Jil Sander this week following news that Jil Sander herself is to return to the label. Rumour has it he was fired because industry gossip about him leaving for Dior had gone into overdrive, and Simons in fact has no job to go to. Whatever the truth of the matter, the fashion industry seems mired in the thought that Mr Simons is headed to Christian Dior. But though it is an outside possibility, just how PERFECT would the art and architecture minded designer be for the house of Yves Saint Laurent? Personally, I would camp out to be among the first to own a Raf Simons for Yves Saint Laurent piece. I don't think I would feel the same about a Raf Simons for Dior item; and I'm sure I'm not alone in this.  

What Stefano does next will also be something the fashion world will wait for with interest. Stefano is a totally lovely and talented man, and I am sure he can emerge with his head held high from all of this.   

THE WEEK IN FASHION: FEBRUARY 6th-10th

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large, with assistance from Joshua Drew

New York Fashion Week is well and truly under way, but there's plenty of news from all corners of the fashion world keeping us entertained this week....

The Queen by Karl (image www.metro.us)

Editor-in-chief was the new title given to Karl Largerfeld last week. The creative director of luxury French house Chanel turned his cutoff leather gloves to editing one of France’s biggest national newspapers, Metro, demonstrating once again his infamous superhuman abilities.

Karl's sketch commenting on the troubles in Syria (image www.metro.us)

After recently promoting his KARL by Karl Lagerfeld collection for Net-A-Porter (in a unique interview in which Karl interviews himself) we were glad to see the German designer being interviewed by a third party once more. Among Karl's list of favourite places to shop and eat were controversial comments about Adele, which proved a hot water topic amongst tweeters worldwide as Lagerfeld described the singer as "too fat." Another controversial Karl comment (JD) We hasten to add that Mr Lagerfeld has since apologised!

Miu Miu's London bags (image from graziadaily.co.uk)

 All the major fashion cities- New York, London, Milan and Paris- went head to head this week as Miu Miu spoiled us with more of their fab accessories, just in time for fashion weeks. The collection comprises 46 styles in everything from ostrich  and python skin to brocade and glitter. Very nice, but naughty with pieces starting £1,295 (JD)

New York bags from Miu Miu (image from graziadaily.co.uk)

Talking of amazing accessories, YSL's Cruise video is a delectable three minutes of fashion and accessory p*rn...

You're safe with LV (image from telegraph.co.uk)

Louis Vuitton is getting sexy. With the release of the most exclusive contraceptive to date, the LV condom is taking the brand's sexy kudos even higher heights than THAT AW11 fetish show. Would you take Vuitton to bed?

Another batch of magazine covers for us to mull over. We're mostly loving Victoria Beckham on iD, a completely unexpected match made in editorial heaven....

image from telegraph.co.uk

 Fabulous Kate Moss in Erdem on W

image from telegraph.co.uk

 Despite the dodgy reviews of his debut SS12 show, Kanye West confirmed that he'll be back at Paris in a few weeks to show his second collection. On top of that, it looks like the rapper turned designer might be ready for a diffusion range. he was apparently spotted having lunch with Phillip Green this week. Naturally, this has fuelled rumours of a Topshop collaboration.

Kanye West SS12 (image from catwalking.com)

While everyone on Twitter was complaining about the number of English people who are now willing to stay up for Super Bowl, my theory (from the evidence of my twitter feed, so biased perhaps) is that everyone was staying up for Madonna's half time show. She didn't disappoint with her Givenchy costume. The performance was pretty awesome too.

Riccardo Tisci's sketches for Madonna's costume (www.vogue.co.uk)

All Madonna images from dailymail.co.uk

And one of our favourite looks for NYFW yesterday comes from label to watch, Creatures of the Wind. Happy Weekend!

Creatures of the Wind AW12 from cat walking.com

ADVENT DAY 21: I WANT OPYUM

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

YSL 'Opyum' high heel pump, £440 at Yves Saint Laurent

While out in central London this morning doing the last of my Christmas shopping I couldn't resist popping into Yves Saint Laurent. YSL is the label that most closely resembles my high fashion ideal. If it were possible on a journalist income, which it most definitely isn't, YSL would dominate my wardrobe. 

Nevertheless, the black interior of the brands' Old Bond Street store has cocoon like qualities which swiftly lulled me into a trance while flitting between cabinets of (relatively) affordable and striking costume jewellery and recessed areas displaying shoes and bags. To give you an idea, a large gilt pendant on thick black rope was £365 at YSL, while across the road at Prada a fairly standard diamante necklace with rose motif cost an astronomical £870.  

I had absolutely no intention of purchasing anything at YSL until, upstairs, I came across a new line of shoes from its cruise collection.  One of them is above. It is an elegant pump called Opyum (the brands most famous fragrance is called Opium) and it was love at first sight. Heads up: elegant shoes with refined silhouettes are back in favour for spring as fashion's first adopters are slowly moving away from the platforms, wedges and chunky blingy shapes of the last few years.

So, darn it that the Opyum range, in store for just six days so far, and offered in slingback and with different toe tip colours, was already low on stock. 

I did what I had to do. They are available to buy online if you click the link above.

“Did they know why they knew? Not at all. But 

they Knew!” 

― Malcolm Gladwell, Blink

British singer/songwriter/musician Anna Calvi is on my radar for 2012. Her eponymous debut album was shortlisted for the 2011 Mercury Prize, and as we close the year both Frida Giannini of Gucci and Karl Lagerfeld are citing her as an inspiration, and she features in this months French Vogue.  Calvi's music is an acquired taste but her look is straight from a Helmut Newton photograph. I love this video for the track "I'll be Your Man." 

YVES SAINT LAURENT: L'AMOUR FOU

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

It seems like barely a week goes by in the world of fashion without some new comments about the huge pressures faced by designers; after McQueen and Galliano there is definitely a sense of unease about the way the creative minds at the helm of big fashion houses can cope with the deadlines they are always up against.

YSL with Pierre Bergé (image from changefashion.net)


A clip from L'Amour Fou- click to see full screen

 Thus when I watched 'L'Amour Fou', the new documentary about the life of Yves Saint Laurent, this weekend, these debates came to mind once again as Laurent's partner, Pierre Bergé, described the designer's fragile mental health and tumultuous relationship with drugs and alcohol during the 70s, 80s and 90s. Directed by Pierre Thoretton, this wasn't so much a tale of pressure, depression and addiction, but a love story. Everyone needs a Pierre Bergé in their life.

Yves Saint Laurent with his models

©Pierre Boulat Courtesy Association Pierre & Alexandra Boulat

This is a documentary about Yves Saint Laurent but you hardly hear his voice at all. The commentary of his career is provided instead by Bergé (whom YSL first met at the funeral of Christian Dior) and Laurent's muses Betty Catroux and Loulou De La Falaise. That in itself is illuminating; Bergé is the supportive lover, scorned during the worst of his partner's troubles while Catroux paints herself as a partner in misery for the designer with whom she would often discuss the hellishness of life. 

Yves with Betty Catroux (from houseofmcnairy.com)

 The documentary was made after Yves Saint Laurent's death and even begins with scenes from his funeral. From the outset, therefore, he is a ghostly presence rather than a protagonist. So this is a huge contrast to something like 'The Last Emperor' in which Valentino is categorically the star. But I wouldn't say that's a downfall to the film at all because those who knew him best paint an enchanting image one of the most gifted designers ever. It also makes the moments when archive footage of YSL is shown all the more poignant; one of my favourites is an interview in which he states his favourite quality in a man is 'body hair' and that earthly happiness is 'a full bed'.The combination of anecdotes and archival footage depict Saint Laurent as funny, eccentric and charming during his best times. 

Yves Saint Laurent in 1969 (image from hautefashionafrica.com)

 However, I came away from 'L'Amour Fou' feeling like Pierre Bergé was the best thing about it. It's not often that the supporting act gets a look-in but Yves Saint Laurent could never have been the fashion game changer he was, at least not so successfully, without Bergé. In his own right, Bergé has achieved an awful lot, particularly in the fight against AIDS. He has been appointed a UN Goodwill Ambassador and has been a longtime supporter of the political left in France.

Bergé at the funeral of Yves Saint Laurent in June 2008

 The film is structured around the sale of the couple's vast collection of art, lovingly amassed as soon as they became wealthy enough to do so. One of YSL's most famous designs is the Mondrian inspired dress but when that was created, Bergé remembers that actually owning a Mondrian was a distant dream for the couple. In parts the film becomes a little slow as it somewhat dryly shows shots of all the art which is to be sold off, only adding to the eeriness of YSL's absence. But then the ending is a quite astounding montage of the auction, Bergé looks on as much of the material gain of his life with Yves is sold off to buyers willing to pay millions. The proceeds from the sale are divided between The Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent Foundation, Bergé himself and a number of the charities which the couple supported. And what clinches this as a love story? Bergé's analogy that many would see the auction as him purging the evidence of his half century with Saint  Laurent but for him those millions are nothing compared to the sharing of a life, and the ending which came with Saint Laurent's death. For lovers of fashion and great love stories, this is a must-see.

L'Amour Fou is released today in the UK. Buy it here. Clip courtesy of Studio Canal.