stefano pilati as monsieur saint laurent

1 hour into my 3 hour course last night, a girl next to me took out last years September issue of Bazaar and after 15 minutes of taking out pages for her art project she tossed it aside. Being the clepto that I am, and mostly because if I heard "factor price equalization" or "import substitution industrialization" one more time I was going to loose it, I snatched it up. I usually skip out on the whole "September Issue" frenzy, yes.. GASP! Sorry but I don't want to pay dinero just to see 99% ad campaigns that I've already seen a zillion x's on the fashionwebs. Anyfarts, I came across an interview of Stefano Pilati, the head designer beast at YSL, and Bazaar had him recreate Monsieur Saint Laurent's iconic nude portrait for his signature mens fragrance "Homme" that was featured in Elle UK (yeah, I don't know why Bazaar highjacked this?? Belongs to Elle, no? Too late.) in '71 which at the time created a massive wave of controversy- man, Monsieur YSL was crazy awesome!

Here's Stefano Pilati lensed by Karl Lagerfeld (Bazaar September 2011)

And here's the original, Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent captured by Jeanloup Sieff in 1971

A part of me finds the detail-per-detail shot eerie but I feel that there's so much symbolism here to how beautifully Stefano has stayed to Monsieur Saint Laurent's aesthetic that makes me respect it so much. Crazy say whaaaatt?? See, Pilati has never set out to make the House of YSL his own or dominate it but rather he's always add on to where YSL would have gone in our modern day. There are many a fashion houses who have been fully consumed by the personas of their current creative directors and although it works sometimes, it does bring me the sads since I'm kinda obsessed with heritage and legacy. Guess that's just fashion.

Long live, YSL!

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image(s) via Harpers Bazaar September 2011 and YSL

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