Thursday, 11 October 2012

YSL's Controversial Rebranding


Have you heard? Yves Saint Laurent is now Saint Laurent Paris. Clearly, they’ve been hanging out with Prince too long. The name change was announced in June. The brand eagerly published a first look at the new logo on facebook and fans were not pleased. “More suitable for fine chocolate than for luxury clothes” commented a follower. “Why would you change something as iconic as the YSL logo,” said another.
 
 
 
 
Saint Laurent’s CEO later confirmed the news by stating: “This change celebrates our legacy and heritage, while boldly marking our ambition for the future. It will allow us to return to the fundamentals of YSL and revive the spirit and the intentions that reigned over the creation of ‘Saint Laurent Rive Gauche’ in 1966: principles of youth, freedom, and modernity.”
 
 
 
 
In early October, the brand held its first fashion show, presenting their updated image to the world. After months of hoopla about the name-change, critics were expecting something… well, unexpected. Fashion critic Cathy Horyn scathingly wrote that the “clothes lacked a new fashion spirit (…) Even the colors seemed flat, suppressed.” Ouch.
 
 
How do you feel about this so called facelift? Are you missing the YSL logo already?
 
 
P.S. As I write this post, I’m blasting Daft Punk’s mix for Yves Saint Laurent’s fashion show (argh, I mean Saint Laurent Paris…)
 
 

2 comments:

  1. I am not warming up to the name change, we are so used to saying YSL and seeing the insignia on everything from clothes to makeup. I wish they didn't do the rebranding. However I did love the SS13 runway collection.

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  2. I didnt know there was a name change but I def agree with the critics. YSL is so iconic and has such a brand imaging impact. What were they thinking!

    New fan and follower here!

    xx
    Holly Foxen Wells
    GlamourMash

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