Remember how we speculated how Yves Saint Laurent' s "old guard" would respond to Hedi Slimane's decision to change the name of the historic French house to Saint Laurent Paris? Well, turns out, they're taking it just fine.

[caption id="attachment_250446" align="aligncenter" width="495" caption="The face of eternal judgement"][/caption]

At least Pierre Bergé, Saint Laurent's longtime business and life partner, is fully on board.

Im very happy. Anything that makes the house more Saint Laurent is welcome, Bergé told WWD. I am happy that Stefano Pilati is gone, just as I was happy when Tom Ford left.

Tell us how you really feel, Pierre. To his credit, Slimane telephoned Bergé  weeks ago informing him of the change.

A spokesman explains Slimane's decision as a way of returning YSL to its "original branding" and "restoring the house to its truth, purity and essence and taking it into a new era" while respecting the original principles and ideals.

Saint Laurent started his ready-to-wear line in 1966 under the name Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, therefore Slimane chose to rename the house to Saint Laurent Paris for "institutional" reasons. The logo, which was created in 1961 by an artist named Cassandre, will remain in tact.

Among other Slimane switches Bergé applauds: the designer's decision to base the YSL creative studio in Los Angeles, where he's been pursuing his career in photography since 2007. The obstinate octogenarian believes Americans are more modern and open to change than the French, who are too "démodé" and reverential to the myth of "chic Parisians."

The creative studio is in a designers head, it resides within the person, said Bergé. Hedi lives in Los Angeles. He should be left to do fashion in a city he likes.

The effects of these changes will soon be made public when Slimane shows the Saint Laurent Paris -- it's going to take a bit to get used to writing that -- spring 2013 RTW collection during Paris Fashion Week. He's rumored to have begun casting as well as securing exclusives on certain models.

The world waits with bated breath...or at least an arched eyebrow. [WWD, sub req'd]