Hedi Slimane's First Campaign for Saint Laurent Is Very Hedi Slimane
Featuring former Girls frontman Christopher Owens in the buff.
There are no clothes, but there are tattoos! Hedi Slimane's much-anticipated inaugural campaign for the newly-named Saint Laurent Paris made its debut today via Vogue Hommes. It is the first in a portraiture campaign of 15 images, hinting at the Creative Director's plans for the brand. As Stefano Pilati's successor at the helm of YSL, Hedi certainly has a lot riding on his shoulders. He has already overhauled the YSL packaging and ushered in a new moniker for the label, dropping the Y and rebranding the iconic French fashion house under 'Saint Laurent Paris'.
The black and white composition and candid approach of the image has Hedi written all over it, but it also pays homage to YSL's past. Bare skin, long hair and cushions all call to mind the couturier’s famous nude fragrance ad from 1971 (above), which features Yves Saint Laurent in the flesh — quite literally.
This latest offering from the fashion house is also reminiscent of the very full-frontal M7 campaign of 2002 (above), or the Opium ad of 2000 featuring Sophie Dahl (below). In a move away from these iconic campaigns, though, Hedi's first subject of choice is positioned with his back to the camera. Former Girls frontman Christopher Owen is the model in question and has been photographed by Hedi before. The first full fashion campaign from Saint Laurent will be unveiled in December and, with Paris Fashion Week around the corner, we look forward to seeing what's to come.
Rosie Dalton
