The icon of a self-expressed identity, a powerful strut and the look of confidence not many can pull off. The Saint Laurent muse has been representing the pinnacle of an IDGAF attitude since the brand’s debut in 1957 by Yves himself, with each of the consecutive creative directors injecting their own aesthetic into the heritage. That image of a woman smoking in Le Smoking, a dark Parisian alley with only the streetlights shading both the sharp jawline and the sharply-cut tuxedo. It’s done the rounds all over the world, serving as a global reminder of the strong attitude the three letters of YSL stand for
And pushing that idea even further, the brand’s current creative director Anthony Vaccarello is launching Self – an ongoing art project that’s set to capture the expression of individuality through the work of photographers, artists and filmmakers. The project is taking off with Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama, whose special commission is on show an exhibition part of Paris Photo festival curated by Vaccarello. Moriyama goes back to those early beginnings, re-contextualising the Le Smoking image in today’s world. A power speaks through the images as Saint Laurent’s latest designs become an object of desire beyond retail. It’s a desire of an attitude we all need in our lives. Opening this Friday in Paris, the exhibition will be presented in a light-installation accessible to the public in the Galerie d’Orléans courtyard, in front of the Garden of Palais Royal.
‘Self’ by Saint Laurent is running from November 9th until November 11th as part of Paris Photo at Palais Royal.
