Saying that Hedi Slimane is lazy, as wrote Cathy Horyn, is a simple bah. A guy who redesigns everything from the logo to the showroom furnitures in his boutiques of Saint Laurent, doesn’t seem to be lazy at all. Hedi Slimane did a huge revolution at Saint Laurent and in fashion world, that seemed to be very peaceful comparing AW13 with the grunge/punk/Roc &Roll collection. And in reality, Slimane didn’t do this for more controversy- no, it’s all simply his aesthetics. When the designer of SL is not at work, he isn’t kissing Pinault’s ass for money but hangs out with friends/musicians in LA! So there is nothing that is done for more money. Well it is, but it’s not enforcing. People will still buy this kind of Yves Saint Laurent. So, Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane wins the second place in AW13 ranking of best collections!
Models
✈ Kinetic Travel at Chanel ✈
A destroyed theatre, with smashed windows and peeling walls, was filled with scruffy, pre-war chairs where the guest would seat. Something is going to happen. Then something amazing happens, that even Rihanna and Natalia Vodianova gasp with excitement. From under the dark curtain thats hanging above the scene, a 3-D installation of metallic skyscrapers and blue sky are coming out. And it’s of course all in Grand Palais!
“It’s a new world” Karl Lagerfeld says, thinking of Singapore, where his Chanel resort was presented. The damaged theatre, as Karl said suggested Coco Chanel coming back after war, looking in Paris for something beautiful and quiet- rebuilding the fashion house. It is like a closed chapter of Chanel that Karl wanted to show. Now a new one, modern and elusive chapter is opened for the Parisian house. But the show was very dynamic, models ran the catwalk like on the olympics. Yes it sounds all very cosmic, but the clothes weren’t at all crazy. Tweed suites in new silver colours made from different weaving methods; dresses that were called kinetic by the designer, had a eerie silver polish.
There is also a pretty dangerous trend upcoming in jewellery- putting small diamond rings on all fingers in the hands, but- not in the typical place for wearing rings, but nearly on the nails! This bling looks really nice and modernistic, but feels a bit uncomfortable. Never wear it to a fish restaurant wee you may eat some crabs or shrimps; don’t wash your hands in it because you don’t really want to take out your diamonds from the sink. That’s why this trend in jewellery is super unpractical but super fashionable!
New models were tapped to the show- mostly Asian newcomers and rest was the it girls- Ashleigh Good, Jamie Bochert, Lindsey Wixson and Joan Smalls. There seems that a strong change is coming up to Chanel from the Eastern part of the world- time will show.
Le Smoking
The Yves Saint Laurent Le Smoking look is schanging every season, but always stays black, simple and classical. Even if it is now Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane! The campaigns of this famous Parisian style looks maybe slightly different (models for example) but usually it’s all about one beautiful women in the Le Smoking and other one totally naked! Just like in 1975, when Le Smoking began to be a bestseller of the master, Yves. After his death, Stefano Pilati came and strangely looking from persepective of now, FORGOT how the Le Smoking should look like! There were some black jackets but there was no this parisian chic thing. Now, when it’s Hedi, after few months later when his AW13 show was presented, I think Hedi Slimane keeps the tradition much better than Stefano! Just check Net A Porter- you look, and mostly we can see the elegant jackets and trousers to the Le Smoking costumes! It’s chick, luxurious and elegant but Ready to Wear! And now this amazing campaign with Cara Delevigne (advertising YSL Baby Doll) with this naked women… This is like a new Helmut Newton work (he took this fabulous pic in 1975 on Rue Aubriot in Paris).
And today (but before Cara) Anja Rubik looks amazing in Le Smoking Slimane photography for his campaign. Here are pics of past Le Smoking campaigns and runway pics from Yves era! Chic, Chic!
And now just one thing… did you see the Louis Vuitton film for Love Magazine presenting top models (Cara, Magdalena Frackowiak…) walking naked in furs around Paris at night? And sitting in a car and doing sexy poses? This film by James Lima did a lot controversy in the media worl, for example that LV accuses prostitution in their campaign! Well… in 1975 Helmut Newton did a controversy with his Smoking campaign and nobody set it’s prostitution. By the way, in 1975 (again) there was this TOTALLY naked (in film Cara wears fur) and there was no real commotion about it. And that was kind of good then? It is good, as well as the film. So for what do the politicians do this commotion? in reality, there is a really short moment when one model show some parts. I think this film is more about fashion and sensuality than about prostitutions. For sure for controversy that Marc Jacobs likes to do…But should we care? I like it, just as the amazing Le Smoking!
Design & Culture by Ed 