NYT Says Hedi Slimane Lost Friends, Alienated People With YSL

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New York Times fashion reporter Eric Wilson takes a deep dive into Hedi Slimane's much-buzzed-about relaunch of YSL or Saint Laurent, writing that as the designer has been slammed by critics, distanced by friends and faced a "frosty" industry reception in Paris, store buyers and customers are singing another tune. As Jeffrey Kalinsky of legendary store Jeffrey New York said, "When we were buying the collection, I felt like I was seeing dollar signs."

Slimane is presenting a dramatically different look than the old YSL, one that's very influenced by his new home of Los Angeles. His fall 2013 ready-to-wear collection was inspired by "California grunge" and he met one of his model muses at Coachella. As the Times puts it, he is "less interested in critical opinion than what is happening with styles among the youth culture of Los Angeles."

Regardless of all the naysaying, or perhaps because of it, everyone is talking about Saint Laurent again. Bergdorf Goodman is building special shop-in-shops for the collection, Slimane is opening boutiques in Paris and New York and a ton of celebrities have been wearing the designs. Guess Cali cool really does sell.
· Mr. Provocative [NYT]
· Saint Laurent Salutes Cali Grunge at Paris Fashion Week [Racked]
· How Hedi Slimane Met His Cali Muse at Coachella [Racked]
· The New Saint Laurent Collection Goes For a Hike in Malibu [Racked]