Pretty is dead, long live rock ‘n’ roll. At least according to Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent, who gave us a collection of sequin-strewn creations fit for good girls gone bad.
By Natalie Trevis
Saint Laurent autumn/winter 2015
Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent never strays too far from his one true love: Rock ‘n’ roll. This season is no exception, with clothes that pay homage time and again to music and which seem destined to be worn on stage. The slimmest of cigarette pants fit for a Parisian rock goddess, leopard print capes ready to shield tired eyes from the paparazzi and spray-on leather trousers slashed from top to bottom. Familiar, but no less desirable for being so. Late-70s references merged into the early-80s powerhouse trends that are prevalent throughout the autumn/winter collections, in the form of tulle layered skirts and strapless panelled mini dresses covered in zippers that displayed an almost couture-like level of workmanship. Androgynous three-quarter length leather jackets and relaxed tuxedos paired with sheer gathered blouses provided masculine relief to the rebellious bare-it-all nature of asymmetric dresses that left nothing to the imagination. Ripped fishnets and black leather ankle boots almost became redundant – the message was already loud and clear. Rock, the sexier the better, is Hedi’s signature and it’s here to stay.
Every detail was carefully curated to expound the Saint Laurent vision. From the ‘more is more’ makeup by Aaron De Mey that looked like the love child of Johnny Thunders and Siouxsie Sioux, to an uplit runway raised on hydraulics (the set designed by Hedi himself), which quite literally set the stage for this galvanising show and could easily do double-duty on a stadium tour. Inspiration and execution fused beyond just the clothes on the runway as Pretty Boy by The Felines pumped out, a song written and recorded by the garage punk band exclusively for Saint Laurent this month. One look at the blunt fringes and achingly cool stares of band members Asta Louisa Bjerre, Ditte Melgaard and Mei Long Bao (reflected back at us via the models on the runway) and the collaboration makes complete sense.
And when you stage a grand performance, the world comes to watch. Emmanuelle Alt, Carine Roitfeld and Lou Doillon brought their own brand of unflappable French chic, while Clementine Creevy and Lou Lesage added a dash of up-and-coming ingénue. Fellow designers Alber Elbaz and Azzedine Alaïa lent their support from the front row. Dress code: leopard print, gold lamé or fur, naturally. This is not the show at which to practice a studied minimalism but to kick back, throw a leather biker jacket over your shoulders and embrace your inner rock child.
