The spring and summer seasons of 2015 have seen California emerge as an inspirational destination for many high-end European designers. French luxury brand Louis Vuitton was in Palm Springs last month to showcase its Resort 2016 Collection, while Burberry brought their Fall 2015 womenswear and menswear collections to the Los Angeles Griffith Observatory in April.
Although Hedi Slimane, head designer for Saint Laurent, did not head to the Golden State to reveal his latest line, the Saint Laurent Men’s Fashion Show for Spring 2016 certainly felt like taking a trip to the West Coast. Held at the Carreau du Temple last night in Paris, celebrities flocked to the French capital to attend this psychedelic event in the name of androgynous men’s fashion. The VIP front row featured fans of Slimane’s designs, ranging from actors to singers to super models.
Last night in Paris: Max Becker of Oakland band Swimmers walking to the tune of his own soundtrack
The crowd sipped champagne and mingled while patiently anticipating the collection, which began with a technicoulour light show, strikingly similar to a late night experience at the Santa Cruz beach boardwalk.
Understandably so, as the collection was titled Surf Sound: ‘A Tribute to Contemporary Californian Surf Music Culture’. And in order to come full-Californian-circle, Slimane had an original soundtrack recorded specifically for the event by self proclaimed Rock n’ Roll band Swimmers. Recorded this month in Oakland, California, the Bay Area rockers made the trip out to Paris to also appear on the runway.
Lenny Kravitz, Pierce Brosnan, Selma Hayek, Azzadine Alaia, Lily Donaldson and Jane Birkin were all in attendance.
However, Pierce Brosnan and Gary Oldman both had special reasons to attend the show. Both of the actors sons hit the catwalk along with a gang of punk rock models with no shortage of attitude.
Slimane has always intertwined music with his collections, drawing on established artists like Daft Punk, Courtney Love and Kim Gordon, yet nurturing emerging musicians such as Melody’s Echo Chamber and Marc Desse for his Saint Laurent Music Project.
The face of his campaigns have frequently featured musicians as well, and this collection paid homage to yet another emerging musical act whose sound embodies the style of Californian surfers possessing a misfit aesthetic.
Watch the show in it's entirety here on YSL's homepage.