When Hedi Slimane was introduced as the new Creative Director at Yves Saint Laurent in 2012, he made some bold moves to rebrand the company. One of those controversial changes included moving away from the company’s classic interlocking YSL logo (first introduced in the 1960s) and replacing it with Saint Laurent Paris in simple white block font lettering. Well, loyal fans can rejoice because Saint Laurent now has a full line of accessories, including handbags, clutches, wallets and a few pieces of jewellery, called the Classic Monogramme Collection, showcasing the brand’s original YSL logo (I need the silver ring!). It was a smart move because the pieces are awesome. And fancy.
Although the Saint Laurent bags and other accessories featuring the Saint Laurent logo are modern and good looking, the classic YSL logo is so iconic and timeless, it was definitely missed. Many fans were not happy when the Saint Laurent Paris logo was introduced, and for good reason. The original YSL logo is about as iconic as a fashion logo can get (next to Chanel’s double Cs). Some people even felt new creative director Slimane, who was responsible for the brand’s makeover, was being disrespectful to Yves Saint Laurent himself by trying to disassociate the label’s founder from the brand’s legacy.
Interestingly, after the new Saint Laurent logo was introduced, a line of t-shirts, sweatshirts and hats came out with the brilliant line, “AIN’T LAURENT WITHOUT YVES” (a friend gave me the t-shirt for my birthday and I wear it proudly).
The original YSL logo is so unforgettable, it should be celebrated. Also, most people know that the real money from luxury fashion brands comes from accessories, shoes, bags and makeup. Not the actual clothing. So carrying a group of pieces that highlight the iconic YSL label, after so many requests from loyal clientele, is nothing but a good idea.
Some of my favourite pieces from the Classic Monogramme collection are below. (available at ysl.com)
Casey Wagar 