In January 2014, Saint Laurent's tailoring and flou atelier moved into Paris' historic Hôtel de Sénecterre at 24 Rue de L'Universite, reuniting the brand with its Rive Gauche roots. Built in 1685 by Thomas Gobert – the building planner of Louis XIV – the 2,100 sq m site's restoration was overseen by Saint Laurent creative director Hedi Slimane in the traditional 18th century French style.
Today, the designer unveiled his debut couture collection, shot onsite within the newly furnished building's palatial surrounds. The numbered, one-of-a-kind women's and menswear pieces, which recapture the spirit of the Rive Gauche – Le Smoking, bow blouses and silken gowns included – each sport the iconic Yves Saint Laurent label (in ivory silk no less), and will only be available to close friends of the house.
The site's interiors, shown to their full glory in Slimane's new couture campaign (pictured here), showcase an eclectic mix of traditional and deco furnishings in addition to an African undercurrent, tied to the house founder's exotic sphere of influence. Covering three floors, the salon couture is located on the first floor and the flou and tailleur ateliers on the second and third floors respectively.
Other modernist furnishing touches, curated by Slimane, include pieces by Jean-Michel Frank, Paul Dupré-Lafon and 1930s designer Elizabeth Eyre de Lanux, (Slimane's favourite modernist and the creator of a parchment desk that previously belonged to Yves Saint Laurent), while above the building's grand staircase, Slimane commissioned American artist Garth Weiser to paint a black and white diptych.
Outside, the property's precise, geometric garden has been replanted from 18th century archives with the help of a historian. 5 Avenue Marceau, the address of the last couture house, has since became La Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent, and here in its historic heart of Saint Germain a new vigour burns strong.
The site's interiors, shown to their full glory in Slimane's new couture campaign images (pictured here), showcase an eclectic mix of traditional and deco furnishings in addition to an African undercurrent, tied to the house founder's exotic sphere of influence
The numbered, one-of-a-kind women's and menswear couture pieces recapture the spirit of the Rive Gauche – Le Smoking, bow blouses and silken gowns included. Left, American artist Garth Weiser's black and white diptych, which sits above the building's grand staircase
Built in 1685 by Thomas Gobert – the building planner of Louis XIV – the 2,100 sq m site's restoration was overseen by Hedi Slimane in the traditional 18th century French style
Each piece sports the iconic Yves Saint Laurent label (in ivory silk no less) and will only be available to close friends of the house
-
‘The United States of América’: how Willy Chavarria is rewriting American fashionWallpaper* catches up with Willy Chavarria, who staged his latest show, ‘América’, in a disused bank on New York’s Wall Street yesterday evening (September 6 2024)
-
Designer India Mahdavi on her perfect restaurant experienceAs part of Laila Gohar's guest editorship, she asked friends in the industry and her wider creative circle to relive their perfect restaurant experience. Here, designer India Mahdavi recounts a perfect night dining under the pitch-black Egyptian sky
-
Mark Armijo McKnight’s bodily landscapes capture the tactile serenity of the American WestThe artist’s new exhibition at the Whitney Museum, which is organised by the museum curator Drew Sawyer, offers a succinct window into his contemplative suggestion of queering a landscape
-
Hedi Slimane takes Celine to Norfolk for ‘Anglomania’ menswear collection: watch the filmInspired by Evelyn Waugh’s ‘Bright Young Things’, Hedi Slimane’s latest Celine menswear collection is captured by the designer in a romantic short film set at the Palladian Holkham Hall on England’s Norfolk coastline
-
‘There is a renewed desire to be elegant’: why men’s tailoring is more relevant than everFar from a dying art form, men’s tailoring is gaining momentum thanks to a diverse array of designers who are using the garment to change the way we move and feel, says Simon Chilvers
-
Hedi Slimane captures Ever Anderson on film wearing Celine’s ‘effortless’ red lipstickEver Anderson is the star of the first Celine Beauté campaign, which marks the pre-launch of its new ‘Rouge Triomphe’ lipstick
-
Saint Laurent’s ‘Tan Lines’ collection is made for the heat of summerA host of warm-weather essentials get the Saint Laurent treatment in Anthony Vaccarello’s ‘Tan Lines’ capsule – from bikes and tennis balls to swimwear and handbags
-
Women’s Fashion Week S/S 2025: what to expectNext week sees the arrival of Women’s Fashion Week S/S 2025, with stops in New York, London, Milan and Paris. Here, our comprehensive guide to the month, from Alaïa’s arrival in New York to Alessandro Michele’s Valentino debut
-
Celine’s pilates collection makes for a deeply luxurious workoutHedi Slimane’s pilates collection for Celine contains all your workout essentials, reimagined in the designer’s singular style – from leather kettlebells and weights to a Triomphe reformer machine
-
Pre-Fall 2024’s defining looks combine sharp silhouettes with a soft touchA play on texture defines the Pre-Fall 2024 collections, seeing clean lines and pin-sharp tailoring meet soft-to-the-touch fabrics. Here, photographer Mattia Parodi captures the season’s best looks
-
Hedi Slimane’s latest menswear collection for Celine is a Hollywood epicHedi Slimane presents his Winter 2024 menswear collection for Celine in a cinematic short film directed by the designer in California’s Mojave Desert – featuring helicopters, cowboys, and a motorcade of Cadillacs
