Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), a French institution much like wine and cheese, is changing its iconic name after almost 50 years. According to WWD, beginning this fall, the luxury fashion house is doing away with the ever-prominent Y (Yves) and renaming itself “Saint Laurent Paris.” That poor little Y, the logo just doesn’t look the same without the Y. This monumental change is part of the recently appointed creative director, Hedi Slimane’s, rebranding strategy. The original logo, designed by A.M. Cassandre in 1963, has been an integral part of the brand since it was first launched by designer Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé.
Interestingly, when the first boutique opened in 1966 on 21 rue de Tournon in Paris, the ready-to-wear line was called Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. Consequently, Saint Laurent Paris is not a far cry from the original name. According to a YSL spokesperson, Slimane plans to “restore the house to its truth, purity and essence using similar fonts from that time period.” Thankfully, the iconic YSL logo we all know and love will remain in tact on the legendary makeup cases and shoe soles. Be on the look out—‘Saint Laurent Paris’ will make its debut when the spring/summer 2013 collection hits stores. Until then, the verdict is still out.
Written by: Stacie Fleming
SLP or rather, SL does not have the same ring as YSL, and you’re right the logo looks naked without the Y. I’m not for this rebranding at all, even if it is similar to its original name.