Why Saint Laurent is staging its men’s show in LA

Yesterday Saint Laurent announced that it had some big news, but only gave us some teasers – including two short videos featuring Ariel Pink and Kim And The Created – as clues. Now however, it’s been revealed. The brand has announced that it will be staging its AW16 men’s show, not in Paris like it normally does, but in LA instead. Describing the event as “a tribute to the strong music scene in Los Angeles”, the show will take place at the Hollywood Palladium on Sunset Boulevard – the city’s oldest and largest concert venue – on February 10, just five days before the Grammy Awards.

For those familiar with the brand’s creative director, Hedi Slimane, the news will come as little surprise. Throughout the last decade, he’s championed the music scene in LA; both in his personal photography projects and in work for Saint Laurent. He’s enlisted members of the scene to walk in his runway shows and feature in his ad campaigns (such as Staz Lindes of LA band the Paranoyds and her brother Misha of SadGirl) – he’s even staged an photography exhibition (California Song) devoted to the topic at the LA Museum of Contemporary Art.

However the news comes amid further rumours that Slimane is departing the brand. This morning WWD reported that “the designer has so far failed to reach an agreement on the renewal of his initial contract with the Kering-owned fashion house and is preparing to part ways” with the brand. The publication also named Versus Versace’s creative director (and Donatella Versace’s protégé) Anthony Vaccarello as potential successor. In response, a representative for Saint Laurent simply said that it “does not comment on rumours”.