Saint Laurent is returning to couture for the first time in over 10 years, and creative director Hedi Slimane is debuting haute couture pieces he has been working on for three years.
Since replacing Stefano Pilati as creative director in 2012, the French designer has spent three years restoring and redecorating a 17th-century mansion to house his couture ateliers.
The Hôtel de Sénecterre has three floors that will represent 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 centre of the Saint Laurent project by Hedi Slimane," the brand announced earlier this week.
"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 eveningwear. The Yves Saint Laurent private atelier label is made of ivory silk satin and is numbered by piece. The Ateliers keep a strict record of all the couture pieces in a gold monogram book."
Slimane made waves in the fashion industry when he was linked to the job of new Dior Homme creative director after John Galliano was dismissed from the label in 2011. Just a year later, he was appointed head of Yves Saint Laurent and changed the fashion house's name to Saint Laurent Paris.
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