Another enjoyable press release courtesy of Mr Hedi Slimane. Remember that one about Cathy Horyn (“Miss Horyn is a schoolyard bully… a bit provincial”)? Yep, Mr Slimane is at it again, this time denying rumours that post-YSL he’ll start a brand that bears his very own name above the doors. Well, actually, this particular communiqué comes courtesy not of the man himself, but his “legal representation”, Herve Termime. So it’s very serious and such. “For the record, Hedi Slimane has never had in the past, let alone now, the intention or desire to launch a brand under his name, and therefore denies recent rumors (including in WWD) of alleged encounters with investors, in Paris or Doha, where in fact Hedi Slimane has never been,” said the release. He also used it as a chance to thank his team for their work during his tenure at Saint Laurent, as well as Yves’ former partner Pierre Bergé.
It came after a week where further Hedi-based rumours were sparked by Karl Lagerfeld selecting a fancy sequinned Slimane-designed tuxedo to take his bow as his Havana cruise extravaganza, prompting much speculation that Hedi might be moving to Chanel to head up menswear for the Parisian house. And, just to fan those flames even further, King Karl further extolled his love for the LA-based designer in this month’s Vogue Hommes saying, “he shook up the brand… it needed a change and he was clever enough to understand that. A few journalists might have been confused, but the sales took off. This is proof that press criticism has no importance… I really admire him. And he’s a lovely boy in private. There are few people I love so much. It’s the clothes Hedi used to create at Dior that gave me the will to lose weight. If something interests me I’m capable of anything.” So what’s next? Hedi for Chanel? Hedi to replace Karl? Hedi for Hedi? Who the fuck knows. Just stay tuned.
