Has Saint Laurent created Paris’ most stylish book shop?

Saint Laurent continues its expansion in Paris – where it recently opened a vast new flagship on Champs-Élysées – with its latest project, Saint Laurent Babylone, a store entirely devoted to art, books and culture. 

Situated at 9 Rue de Grenelle in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, the new cultural store's name references the ties that Yves Saint Laurent and partner Pierre Bergé had to the Sèvres–Babylone neighbourhood (the pair moved to 55 Rue de Babylone in 1970). 

Inside Saint Laurent Babylone

Anthony Vaccarello, Saint Laurent’s current creative director, said that he wanted the space to emulate the iconic Saint Laurent Rive Gauche boutique, which opened in 1966 and later spread roots to the Sèvres-Babylone neighbourhood.

Capturing Paris’ longtime links with literature and the arts, inside the store the specially curated collection of books, prints, and tomes are laid out across minimal marble countertops in soft creams and whites, emulating the surrounding Haussmannian architecture.

Meanwhile, the large dusk blue and white rug adds to the textural landscape, accompanied by a minimal wooden table to sit around when jotting down fleeting ideas. The walls are stripped back, revealing off-white plastering, lending the space an industrial air.

Each item selected for the store, from SLRD editions, publications, out-of-print musical recordings, and original productions, was curated entirely by Vaccarello.

And, Saint Laurent Babylone is more than a traditional bookstore – over the coming months, the store will be transformed into an events space varying from live music sessions to author readings and signings, and a space to inspire those who enter.

ysl.com