THE SLP AESTHETIC
Origins and Wardrobe Curation
Saint Laurent is a French luxury fashion house established in 1961 by
Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé. The company brought
back its haute couture collection in 2015 under former Creative Director
Hedi Slimane. Hedi Slimane introduced a touch of modernity to the label
by infusing a more youthful, rock allure. The designer took inspiration
from rock legends like David Bowie and Mick Jagger to focus on the
combination of a slim silhouette and precise tailoring; Parisian chic
with a rock 'n' roll edge. As many fashion historians have stated,
"fashion is not mainly about consumerism. It is tailoring, business,
history. It is an interconnecting web of sociology, psychology,
politics, society... and it reflects the times we are living in. It
transports this concept onto a piece of fabric that communicates in an
artistic way".
The most important thing in the art of the wardrobe is
curation. It is about removing from your wardrobe
everything that looks average and becoming your own curator. The process
consists in having staple clothing pieces which become the foundation of
your wardrobe; five wardrobe essentials that will last a lifetime. The
staples are different for each person, since we all have a different
personality, lifestyle and fashion preferences.
In order to achieve the SLP aesthetic, the five staples needed are: the
outerwear, the top, the pants, the shoes and the accessories.
The leather jacket is key for this look. Often
associated with rock, it embraces the cool nature and rebelliousness the
genre is known for. Other options can be varsity jackets or bomber
jackets. The shape and silhouette of your jacket can be a very important
part of communicating the message you want in your look. You can play
around with the silhouette according to your taste and body structure or
go for an oversized jacket or coat to add contrast.
The most versatile part of this look is the top, which
allows a wide range of possibilities to choose from: textured sweaters,
vintage t-shirts...Striped t-shirts and sweaters add a Parisian or
French vibe to the look. Monochromatic pieces, like the classic white
t-shirt, veer towards a minimal aesthetic.
Denim is timeless and has been an essential part of
people's wardrobes for many decades. Black skinny jeans are good pieces
to start off with. Different options include distressed denim and
well-fitted dress pants for a more classic look.
The SLP aesthetic is not about minimalism per se, as it tends to focus a
lot on accessories: plenty of jewelry, hats, scarves,
remarkable belt buckles and handbags. The term SLP is used to cover a
broad category of looks instead of a specific one. The looks are the
same in essence, but can differ considerably, depending on the styling
choices, color schemes, pieces and accessories. This aspect allows you
to showcase your versatility and gives you the freedom to create looks
that showcase the aesthetic through your own personal way, therefore
bringing authenticity to the whole outfit.