Saint Laurent Makes Couture Comeback

Saint Laurent is set to return to couture for the first time in over a decade.

The french fashion house unveiled the debut couture collection by Hedi Slimane its Creative director. Slimane who helmed the menswear division of the label from 1997 to 2000 before taking over at Dior Homme, succeeded Stefano Pilati at YSL in March 2012. Unveiled yesterday via a couture campaign shot in the Hotel de Senecterre, the one-of-a-kind women's and menswear pieces recapture the spirit of the Rive Gauche and only be available to close friends of the house.

Since his appointment, Slimane has spent the past three years restoring and redecorating the 17th-century Hotel de Senecterre. Built in 1685 by Thomas Gobert the building planner of Louis XIV the 2,100 sq m site with a "geometric garden" is spread across three floors and will house Slimane's ateliers, with the space split into three categories: Salon Couture, Atelier Flou (for dressmaking) and Atelier Tailleur (for tailoring).

"Hedi began to recompose the traditional Couture Ateliers of the House in 2012. The Ateliers are now at the center of the Saint Laurent project by Hedi Slimane," the brand announced. "Hedi determines which of these pieces will carry the ateliers hand-sewn couture label 'Yves Saint Laurent'. These couture pieces may be womenswear or menswear, a tuxedo or an evening dress, daywear or evening wear. The 'Yves Saint Laurent' private atelier label is made of ivory silk satin and is numbered by piece. The Ateliers keeps a strict record of all the couture pieces in a gold monogram book."

Designer Yves Saint Laurent, the father of modern fashion and last of the great French couturiers produced his 200th and final show in 2002 before retiring from fashion.

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