Reactions to YSL's Rebranding: Much Ado About Nothing?

In the last few weeks, the fashion world has been buzzing about Hedi Slimane's decision to change the Yves Saint Laurent brand name to Saint Laurent Paris. As the newly appointed creative director of the French fashion house, Slimane not only decided to rebrand YSL, but he also chose to move the company's creative studio to Los Angeles where he resides. While changing the name of such an established brand is a big move, I must admit that the dramatic outbursts over the Internet are a bit surprising, especially given the little understanding or research regarding the details behind this decision. "This is a travesty!" "I can't breathe...this is horrifying" and "Shame on you Hedi" are examples of the reactions that we've come across online. We admit that a change in something so familiar and iconic can be a bit unnerving, but really?  

What readers may not realize is that Slimane's move is solely for the brand's ready-to-wear line. The YSL logo will remain in tact for a lot of the products, including the brand's footwear and beauty lines. So while many have drawn analogies to the failure of the Gap logo change that took place in 2010, the familiar YSL logo remains alive and well. Furthermore, the name change actually happens to be more in line with Yves Saint Laurent's roots. As shown in the following photograph, the new name was inspired by what the label's founder originally called the brand when it launched in 1966- Saint Laurent Rive Gauche- using the same font and nomenclature. 

Yves Saint Laurent in front of his first store in 1966

Slimane believes the new name will restore "the house to its truth, purity and essence and taking it into a new era" while still "respecting the original principles and ideals." Saint Laurent CEO Paul Deneve made the following statement to his staff in an internal memo: 

"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."

Hedi Slimane

Many fashion insiders are already approving the decision, including Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent's partner, Pierre Bergé. The change is essentially a message, providing Slimane with a clean slate that will allow him to modernize the French fashion house while honoring its origins. As brand strategists continue to debate the outcome of Saint Laurent's move, TFG believes that as long as Slimane maintains the label's essence that consumers have come to know and love, there will not be any long-term damages for the company. In the end, the fashion will speak for itself more than the label. We here at TFG look forward to Slimane's new vision and welcome YSL to Los Angeles.