Saint Laurent or Yves Saint Laurent

April 28, 2025

Branding is essentially the most essential ingredient within the fast-paced luxurious style world, presumably extra vital than the product itself. There are lots of model names within the excessive style realm which have energy, construct connections, and lengthy histories and legacies; nonetheless, there are just a few names that connote the affect of Yves Saint Laurent. YSL solid an authentic, female, and assured fashion of dressing, significantly with clothes items such because the tuxedo jacket (Le Smoking); its model turned synonymous with “Parisian stylish” and stylish risk-taking. Nevertheless, when you’ve got lately been looking luxurious boutiques or scrolling by means of your favourite style campaigns, you will have additionally seen one thing curious that the label is referred to both as, merely “Saint Laurent” (with out the “Yves”). 

This actual change in branding has created some uncertainty, confusion, and agitation amongst loyal style fans across the globe. The questions that come into the thoughts of style connoisseurs concerning the diploma of separation are like “Is Saint Laurent the identical as Yves Saint Laurent?” or  “Has the couture home solely modified, with a whole rebrand this time?” The reality will be discovered throughout the combination of heritage, innovators behind the model, and a daring imaginative and prescient of all issues Saint Laurent going ahead into the long run.

The reply to those questions is sure, the rebrand dropped “Yves” in 2012 beneath Hedi Slimane’s inventive path, markedly altering the aesthetic branding and fame of the style home. This renaming has generated criticism, whereas not totally eradicating the model and couture home’s longstanding fame. Particularly, whereas the model has undergone some modifications, YSL nonetheless maintains all the identical traits of sophistication, edge, and unmistakable French temperament. 

If we undergo a brief historical past of Yves Saint Laurent, we will see that it was established in 1961 by two Frenchmen, Yves Saint Laurent and his life associate, Pierre Bergé. The Yves Saint Laurent model rapidly dominated the style world, paving the way in which in excessive style. Yves was recognized for his audaciousness, typically breaking guidelines and altering shapes whereas empowering ladies by means of style. The primary ladies’s tuxedo jacket (Le Smoking), safari jackets, and sheer blouses have been all uniquely Yves. YSL turned synonymous with avant-garde class by means of YSL’s inventive and reckless method. The model ” YSL” mark, designed by graphic artist Cassandre in 1961, turned iconic by itself. “YSL” was not an initialism or an acronym; it turned an emblem of class and elegance innovation.

In 2012, Hedi Slimane turned the corporate’s inventive director and set a loud new path for the model. Considered one of his greatest selections was to vary the identify of the ready-to-wear line from Yves Saint Laurent to easily Saint Laurent. Naturally, this drew a whole lot of dialogue – some folks named it a reinterpretation of the model for contemporary occasions, whereas others felt it was eradicating components of the identify from the legendary designer. Quite than eradicating the previous, Slimane was repeating it. The preliminary ready-to-wear label from 1966 was known as Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, and the choice was a tribute to that line. The high fashion line and the brand YSL remained for equipment and wonder.

Among the Most Iconic Items from Yves Saint Laurent (Pre-2012)

1. Le Smoking Jacket (1966)
   This can be a very famend revolutionary tuxedo for girls that showcases a daring assertion of empowerment and class.
2. Saharienne Safari Jacket (1968)
   Impressed by menswear and colonial apparel, this piece introduced purposeful but modern outerwear to ladies’s wardrobes.
3. Mondrian Costume (1965)
   A tribute to painter Piet Mondrian, this color-blocked shift costume fused artwork and style in a means that was each avant-garde and iconic.
4. See-Via Shirt (1968)
   A sheer chiffon shirt that redefined sensuality, sparking conversations round female expression in style.
5. Trapeze Costume (1958) (designed throughout Yves’ time at Dior)
   Although technically predating the YSL model, this silhouette turned a signature and influenced his early design path.

Iconic Items from Saint Laurent (Submit-2012)

1. Teddy Jacket
   Hedi Slimane’s varsity-inspired jacket turned an on the spot cult favourite—mixing rock ‘n’ roll riot with luxurious.
2. Wyatt Chelsea Boots
   Smooth, sharp, and endlessly cool, these boots have turn into a menswear staple, reflecting Slimane’s affect on trendy tailoring.
3. Lou Digital camera Bag
   Beneath Anthony Vaccarello, this quilted crossbody with the basic YSL monogram has turn into a must have luxurious accent.
4. Skinny Denims & Leather-based Jackets
   Saint Laurent redefined on a regular basis necessities with razor-sharp cuts and a punk-meets-parisian aesthetic.
5. One-Shoulder Cutout Attire
   Vaccarello’s signature: sultry, architectural clothes that embrace glamour with a provocative twist.

Though the style model could label itself as Saint Laurent in its prêt-à-porter collections, the center of the model, Yves Saint Laurent, is certainly not diminished; actually, the model now features with two heads, a connection between previous and current. Saint Laurent Paris options glossy, trendy silhouettes with a rock-and-roll sensibility, directed at a youthful, extra international buyer. Alternatively, Yves Saint Laurent persists by means of high fashion, archival tributes, and the immensely profitable magnificence and perfume strains, which proudly characteristic the whole identify and YSL monogram. This layered branding strategy provides the model extra latitude to proceed to develop which means with out discarding branded significance. It embraces the rebellious class championed by Yves whereas additionally embracing modern tradition and minimalism. To many style followers, the coexistence of each names conveys a fuller, extra vibrant story of a legacy model by mixing status and a way of journey into the long run.

Conclusion

So, are Saint Laurent and Yves Saint Laurent the identical? In spirit, completely. The DNA, daring design, Parisian class, and cultural affect stay deeply intact. The identify change beneath Hedi Slimane was not an erasure, however a strategic evolution that revived the model for a brand new technology. Whether or not it’s a classic YSL shirt or a glossy Saint Laurent leather-based jacket, the frequent thread is craftsmanship, perspective, and a daring sense of fashion. Finally, the identify on the label could differ, however the style home’s dedication to excellence and innovation hasn’t wavered. Name it Saint Laurent or Yves Saint Laurent—what you’re sporting is a legacy. A chunk of style historical past, reimagined for now.