My Tribute(s) to an Arty(istic) Icon

I thought it’s interesting to break things up a little from the regular 31 lip of January to share with you some hare-brained scheme of mine.

For those of you who are interested in the world of fashion, you would have remembered the sad demise of Yves Saint Laurent a few years ago. His name, I am sure, is not foreign to many of us. From fashion to accessories and perfume and makeup, it seems like his mark is almost everywhere.

Almost.

A little while ago, a new creative director for the brand YSL was appointed-Hedi Slimane.

One of the first thing he did was rebrand YSL as what we’ve known and loved for years to Saint Laurent Paris.

The changes were initially subtle and confined to only fashion. I do know many of us were waiting with bated breath to see what his next step would be. I personally heaved a massive sigh of relief when the announcement came that he will be leaving the world of accessories alone.

Then, without a word of warning the changes took place. An added luggage tag to the Cabas Chyc tote. Smoother lines. And the label literally changed from ‘Yves Saint Laurent’ to ‘Saint Laurent Paris’. The gradual removal of the brand YSL from my favourite shopping sites. All of which would be replaced by, yes, you’ve guessed it – Saint Laurent Paris.

The final straw was when I found out that the iconic Arty ring will no longer be carried.

And hence, 2012 to early 2013 was a mad frenzy on my end to acquire items bearing the iconic YSL label.

The magical Arty

I first acquired the blue Arty ring with gold flecks with Tine on one of our mad impulses. This ring is a fantastic conversation starter at networking events. I remember someone asking if it shoots magical powers or rainbows. I nodded solemnly trying to cover up the fits of giggles.

This statement piece really does at that little bit of oomph to an otherwise bland outfit (read: my style). I am usually dressed in darks, yes, sometimes even in summer. A splash of vivid blue really does make a whole world of a difference.

The iconic Tributes

Then, I got the iconic Tributes. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if they would ever be replaced or discontinued but I was taking no chances. This pair is a staple in my shoe wardrobe in summer. With just the perfect height and in a dressy black, I wear this with capris and shirts for work and with maxi dresses on weekends. Cost/wear win!

The slippery slope down the Arty path

While holidaying in Perth, the sibling and I encountered a particularly tough day and when we got home, we were completely exhausted. It was also then that I found out that the Arty would no longer be carried. Fueled by exhaustion and desperation, the 2 sisters hit net-a-porter and got an Arty each. I chose pink (naturally) and she, minty jade green. The order was placed late Friday afternoon and by Monday noon, Mr. DHL was already knocking on our door.

I think it stops here

One final piece of YSL I procured is the Chyc clutch. I agonized over this for days. To be honest, I’m not a massive clutch person. I love carrying the kitchen AND bathroom sink with me when I’m out and about. For those, you know, just-in-case scenarios which never happen. But this clutch is a little different. It’s a lot larger than your regular minaudière and fits my phone, small cardholder for IDs, a lipstick for touchups and keys. It’s perfect for those day-to-night events I seem to find myself at a lot these days. It’s definitely a lot smaller than my regular bags for work but it is still comfortable enough to hold the necessities and then some. I was debating between this and the Belle du Jour clutch but I wasn’t a fan of the logo splashed across the flap. I finally settled on the Chyc because of the the subtle antique brass feel of the Y.

What steered me towards this was also the the brand new Chyc clutch that Slimane launched. Instead of partial suede-satin on its interior, he revamped it into a 100% suede interior and upped the price factor by a significant bit. Of course he would have also rebranded it as Saint Laurent Paris on its interior instead of Yves Saint Laurent.

The final kick in the butt I needed was that I did not pick up the Muse 2 when I was in Hong Kong a few years ago. I wasn’t sure why but I just didn’t. Neither did I when I was in Pavilion last year when I was in Malaysia. And, it’s a little too late now as the Muse 2 also underwent some minor updates and rebranding under Slimane. I refused to let myself be caught out in this situation again.

Hence, I took a deep breath and swiped the card.

You could probably tell from my tone of writing that I’m not Slimane’s biggest fan. Without resorting to name-calling, I’m still waiting to see a collection from him that is a little impressive before he embarks on the rebranding journey. Any marketing professional would be able to tell you rebranding is an expensive and risky project with much caution required to not alienate existing and loyal fans. Personally, I’ve not seen anything remotely remarkable from Slimane to justify the rebranding.

I love the iconic YSL because I grew up knowing the brand and there’s always a sense of loyalty to something that’s been round the block.

As with the rest of the fashion world, I’m sitting back and waiting to see Slimane’s next move. On my end, I have what I love the most from the designer and I’m happy to stop here. I’ve had a lot of fun collecting the items I love and I look forward to using these iconic, no longer released collectibles in the years to come knowing I’ve made the right decision.

Having fun with the Artys in the Geeque family

 

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