“I’m very happy, ” Berge said of Slimane’s appointment. “Hedi Slimane has an enormous amount of talent, something that has been missing at the house of Yves Saint Laurent.”

Bergé made, and clearly continues to make, no secret of his dislike for Stefano Pilati while Saint Laurent was rolling over in his grave before he was even dead during Tom Ford‘s reign. Yet Slimane, who worked at YSL Rive Gauche Pour Homme from 1996 to 2000, has been welcomed back to the fold with open arms.

“Hedi is the only one belonging to the Saint Laurent family, my family, so you can imagine how happy and excited I am,” Catroux told WWD. “It will be easy for him as he has the same sensibility and aesthetic, and like Yves, he understands his times perfectly. I always dress as a boy, but I am sure he will find a new way to make girls magic again. Hedi will continue the spirit of Yves. He is the YSL of today, so everything is as it should be.”

Perhaps seeking inspiration from the spirit of Yves,  Slimane is reportedly working at the same studio as Mon. Saint Laurent before his first eponymous ready-to-wear collection in 1962. [WWD, sub req'd]

- The newest trend in male grooming: the man bikini wax. The Brazilian is the most popular so just try and get that image out of your head. [NYT]

- Clearly a fan of discretion, Kanye West is rumored to appear on the upcoming season of the cause of the downfall of western culture otherwise known as Keeping Up with the Kardashians thanks to noted mantrapper/current girlfriend Kim Kardashian. And some people have the audacity — the CHEEK — to think this is all just a marketing gimmick. To those people I say…good call. [Radar]

- Ashley Judd would appreciate if you left her puffy face alone, thank you. [Daily Beast]

- Now that Raf Simons has finally taken over at Dior, take a look at the storied French house’s five previous couturiers. [WWD]

- But with the closure of one rumor mill, another one comes springing back to life. Stefano Pilati is rumored to take the reigns at Armani once Giorgio Armani retires or dies. Whichever comes first. [The Cut]

- Thanks to tranny pioneer Jenna Talackova, future transgendered pageant queens will be able to participate in the Miss Universe competition. [Styleite]

- Abercrombie & Fitch got in touch with its not-so-inner homosexual with this Bruce Weber-directed homage to hot boys groping each other wrestling. Seriously, when is A&F going to stop circling the gay porno airport and bring that sucker into a well-lubricated landing? Video after le jump. [Huff Po]

- And speaking of perverts disguised as clothing companies, Dov Charney re-signed his contract with American Apparel for another three years with a base salary of $800,00o. I knew I shoulda gotten into the sex slave game when I had the chance. Lazy me. [The Cut]

- I see someone’s been reading my dream journal since André Leon Talley is finally getting his own reality show on Bravo. ALT will be yelling at and openly insulting  ”four up-and-coming fashion design teams as they produce the defining collection of their careers.” [Styleite]

- Jason Segal and Michelle Williams are apparently now starring in How I Met My Oscar-Nominated Girlfriend. [Refinery29]

- Stefano Pilati came out from the shadows of scandal after being let go by Yves Saint Laurent a month ago to discuss his career in fashion and his plans for the future. Burning down YSL was surprisingly not a part of said plans. [Fashionologie]

Confirming a week-old rumor — ancient history in the age of the status update — that the designer cum photographer would return to the house that Saint Laurent built nearly twelve years after departing for Dior Homme, YSL today announced Slimane’s appointment as its new creative director.

Slimane’s return is described as an attempt by PPR to “ramp up” YSL’s development in order to compete with Chanel and Christian Dior.

As a Frenchman and someone industry insiders feel “understands YSL better than anyone else,” Slimane is expected to be received better than the long-beleaguered Stefano Pilati.  Saint Laurent, when he was still living, openly derided the designer while his business and life partner, Pierre Bergé refused to even acknowledge Pilati’s existence.

Despite his standing as the preeminent menswear designer of the past decade, this will be Slimane’s first foray into womenswear — aside from some feminine suiting he did for the likes of Nicole Kidman and Madonna. Slimane’s designs under YSL will debut with the house’s resort collection this June.

The extent of Slimane’s control over the brand is as yet unknown but famous for his exacting standards, there’s bound to be some upheaval in the coming months. [WWD, sub req'd]

- Yves Saint Laurent is set to confirm on Wednesday what everyone’s already known for some time now, that is, that Hedi Slimane will take over Stefano Pilati‘s recenlty vacated creative director role. [NYT]

- The video for Brandy and Monica‘s new single finally descended from the heavens, “It All Belongs to Me”, or as I like to call it, “Fierce, Sassy Bitches Blowin’ Shit Up.” [Perez Hilton]

- Marc Jacobs not paying his models is causing a stink, and the company’s snide tweet isn’t helping matters. [Jezebel]

- Alicia Keys and Edward Enninful were caught holding hands at the Givenchy show prompting rumors of an affair between the space around Alicia Keys’ and Edward Enninful’s hands. [Fashionista]

- 66-year-old Debbie Harry was mistaken for 25-year-old Lindsay Lohan by paparazzi, leaving Debbie Harry feeling like she should have made better life choices.  [Page Six]

1. Alexander Wang Sweatshop Controversy. Well, this pretty much came out of nowhere but when a young designer at a crucial moment in his career gets hit with as serious as an allegation as using sweatshops to produce his clothes, the ramifications could be enormous.

2. Shake-Ups at Jil Sander and Yves Saint Laurent.  Would it be a Paris Fashion Week without someone leaving somewhere under a cloud of suspicion? Stefano Pilati finally submitted to the frequent rumors of his demise with Hedi Slimane set to replace him, but what of poor Raf Simons, who's now unceremoniously on his keester after years of loyal service?

3. Christian Dior's ever-revolving door of candidates. Yeah, this is still happening, but with Bill Gaytten finally getting a handle on this creative director thing -- the Christian Dior Fall 2012 collection wasn't awful...it was actually rather pretty, if nothing revelatory, and you know how much it pains me to say that -- there might be no need for Maxime Simoens or Haider Ackermann or whoever's the designer dujour.

4. Kanye West returns. God bless his heart. Like any artist with a pair, Kanye West isn't letting the negative reviews of his last collection get to him and he's returning today with his second offering. No one ever said fashion was an easy game to get into and Ye's got a long road ahead of him, but we all gotta crawl before we can walk. Unless you're Jourdan Dunn who tweeted that Kanye's shoes for the show tonight were "sexy as fuck but you can't walk in them!" Oh, and fellow model Leomie Anderson said Mr. West "cussed" at a girl for not being able to walk in the precarious pumps. Of course, Anderson threw some shade behind West, tweeting "her walk isn't top notch in kitten heels." #shitmodelssay

No one has confirmed anything yet, of course, but both Simoens and Leonard are expected to part in mutual agreement. As for Dior, the speculative go-to destination for any and every designer for the past year, “sources” indicate that Simoens has been in talks with the storied luxury house, though the 27-year-old has repeatedly denied that he has had any contact with them.

Sounds like an admission of guilt if I ever heard one. [WWD, sub req'd]

- Suzy Menkes thinks Christopher Kane could be in line to take over Dior. Then again, Stefano Pilati has some free time on his hands these days. [Vogue UK]

- Joan Smalls is the first black model to cover Vogue Italia since the epic “Black Issue” in 2008. And wouldn’t you know it, that bitch stole my look. [Huff Po]

- According to Jennifer Lopez‘s stylist, the nip did not actually slip during the Oscars. Meanwhile, I’m surprised J. Lo let her get out that blatant lie before firing her. [People]

- Proving that a cat eye works wonders, Katy Perry looks very much not like Katy Perry on the cover of Interview. And that’s clearly a good thing. [ONTD!]

- The world came to a stop when it’s most famous baby, Blue Ivy, took her first public stroll with mom Beyoncé. She’ll be flipping off paparazzi by the time she’s teething. [Just Jared]

While Pilati’s tenure at YSL has seen its share of ups and downs, he still managed to turn the house around after a series of financial losses. However, his collections were often met with mixed reviews, with Mon. Saint Laurent saying himself, “Some of what he does is good. Some of it is not so good.”

YSL won’t spill the beans on Pilati’s replacement till after their show during Paris Fashion Week, but Slimane is expected to return after a near two decade absence. Before designing his signature Slimane-slim suits for Dior Homme, Hedi worked for YSL in the 90s. Although he has never officially designed women’s clothes, Slimane was courted to take over Jil Sander before settling on Dior, then gave it all up to  pursue photography in 2007. [WWD, sub req'd]

- YSL‘s Stefano Pilati thinks John Galliano pretty much ruined drugs for everyone. [Styleite]

- Well, this happened. Anna Wintour in the subway. Note the look of complete and utter fear on her usually emotionless face. [The Cut]

- You could help Oscar de la Renta design his resort collection. [WSJ]

- Beyoncé is reportedly planning two albums next year. Because nine months of pregnancy left her with far too much time on her hands. [LA Times]

- 95-year-old club kid Zelda Kaplan passed away today. Luckily, she was sitting front row at a fashion show, perhaps the most fitting and fabulous way to go. R.I.P. Miss Girl. [NY Post]

[WWD]

Photo: Another Mag

Simons has been with Jil Sander since 2005 and his contract was recently extended for an unknown duration, meaning Dior will most likely have to buy him out of it. Should that prove easily said and done, Simons still won’t be able to produce a ready-to-wear collection by March, let alone a couture collection by January; therefore Bill Gaytten and the Dior atelier would continue to handle design duties in the mean time.

There might be an even bigger hurdle on the horizon, however, as Yves Saint Laurent reportedly has their eye on Simons as well. Stefano Pilati, if rumors are to be believed, is always on the verge of being fired and his contract expires in March. YSL hasn’t indicated whether they will extend Pilati’s deal or not, but considering that his role is a constant source of speculation, it’s hard to put much weight behind this.

Meanwhile, there’s no time frame for Simons’ appointment, and Dior — of course — has neither confirmed or denied these reports. But of all the names bandied about since John Galliano‘s dismissal earlier this year, Raf Simons is one of the strongest and most viable, don’t you think? [WWD]

- And that info was previously unheard because it probably never got spoken. YSL came out with a statement disclaiming Menkes’ rumor milling. [Styleite]

- Daphne Guinness will eat when she’s dead. I hope she waits a few days after she’s dead to indulge since no one likes a fat corpse and I’m assuming there will be an open casket. Or at least a translucent block and a lace veil. [The Cut]

Photo: Styleite

- Lindsay Lohan agreed to star in German designer Philipp Plein‘s ad campaign, sight unseen — but then again a bitch got bills and not enough time to care how they’re getting paid. Of the collaboration, Lilo said that she thinks “maybe people’s perceptions of me have been kind of taken out of context just from what you see and read.” Yeah, you’d think from seeing and reading things that Lindsay Lohan is an unemployable mass of blond extensions, temper tantrums and comped alcohol who’s next acting role is more likely in a straight-to-DVD frat film than a legitimate movie…but that can’t be right. [NY Post]

- The truth about Fashion Week involves cocaine, misogyny, hand jobs, rough sex and absurd diva antics: just what I dreamed it would be as a young gay paging through my September issue of Vogue. [Fashionista]

- Lara Stone claims to have lost her memory from smoking too much pot in her hometown of Bongsville, The Netherlands. BUt I can tell from personal experience that that’s a load of…wait, what was I talking about?[Telegraph]

Photos: Vogue.it

On hand to toast Wintour — who never met a Chanel bouclé tweed she didn’t drape over her frail back — were Karl Lagerfeld, Donatella Versace with bff Riccardo Tisci — fresh off his glorious fall 2011 haute couture collection for Givenchy – Lanvin‘s Alber Elbaz, Anna’s Italian counterpart Franca Sozzani, Mario Testino, LVMH head honcho Bernard Arnault, YSL‘s Stefano Pilati, Burberry‘s Christopher Bailey,  Tommy Hilfiger, professional dandy and Vogue‘s editor-at-large Hamish Bowles and the Rhoda to Anna’s Mary, Grace Coddington.

According to the Kaiser, “We had this very nice cocktail, where Anna made a very funny speech.” I have a hard time believing at least one of those facts. [WWD]

Click through for more picture from Vogue Italia that were apparently taken by a drunk intern with an iPhone.

- Grace Coddington‘s 70th birthday was a who’s who of fashion royalty, with a guest list including Anna Wintour, Marc Jacobs, Naomi Campbell, Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein, Annie Leibovitz,  Helmut Lang, André Leon Talley, Liya Kebede, Karen Elson, Stefano Pilati, Hamish Bowles, Karlie Kloss, Nicolas Ghesquière, Bruce Weber, Patrick Demarchelier, Vera Wang, Edward Enninful, Riccardo Tisci, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez from Proenza Schouler and Laura and Kate Mulleavy from Rodarte. Twas clearly a magical night, as evidenced by this photo of Anna having what appears to be…a good time:

There but for the Grace of Coddington go I. [Styleite]

- Another image has “leaked” from Beyoncé‘s video shoot — either B has awful security or we’re just the pawns in her little chess game of pop supremacy…either way I couldn’t care less because she’s wearing Alexander McQueen. [Red Carpet Fashion Awards]

Roitfeld, Slimane, Pilati, Ackermann, Tisci and Galliano

So far I count at least one Queen, a few Aces and a Jack-Ass. Is that a winning hand?

Link Love: Fashionologie

Roitfeld, Slimane, Pilati, Ackermann, Tisci and Galliano

The latest YSL short film takes us into the studio of Hollywood tattoo artist, Mark Mahoney. Featuring looks from Stefano Pilati’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection, the video mergers art and ink and reminds me that I’m in desperate need of both in my life.

Another very military inspired collection by Stefano Pilati for YSL.

LINK LOVE: Coute Que Coute

Find more photos like this on ENVY. THE FASHION NETWORK

LINK LOVE: GQ

1. Michael Lewis: Lewis is footwear’s best kept secret and has impressed the likes of Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton, Christopher Bailey at Burberry and Tom Ford at Gucci with his shoe-shaped talents – before recently stepping into the role of creative consultant at Kurt Geiger. He brings his own label collection to LFW for the first time this season.

Has an eye for: What women really want – fun yet luxurious, affordable shoes.

Is inspired by: “Early Kenzo and Russian fairytales.”

Shop it: Exclusively at Dover Street Market for autumn/winter 2009.

2. Michael van der Ham: The Dutch born designer’s Warhol art-inspired dresses caught the attention of more than one fashion insider during his autumn/winter 2009 Central St Martins show – for which he also scooped the L’Oreal Professional Award. Prior to this, the young impresario honed his talents with stints at Alexander McQueen and Sophia Kokosalaki.

Has an eye for: The eclectic – van der Ham’s mismatch approach to design ensures there’s never a dull moment.

Is inspired by: Women who aren’t afraid to be bold.

Will be: Showcasing as part of NEWGEN’s Ready-to-Wear exhibition at Somerset House.

3. Fred Butler: New kid on the block Fred began life as a set designer and prop maker before packing a style punch with her first jewellery collection of bold, bright and sculptural designs for autumn/winter 2009. Since then she has presented workshops at London’s Design Museum, guest lectured at the London College of Fashion and collaborated with Asos.com on their limited edition ‘Hit’ line.

Has an eye for: Creating “wearable sculpture,” by using graphic shapes, clashing colours and tactile forms.

Is inspired by: The unpredictable in the everyday.

Shop it: Online at Kabiri.co.uk this season.

4. Mark Fast: Since the success of the 28 year old Canadian’s Central St Martins graduate collection in 2007 (which was quickly snapped up by Browns Focus) the young designer has gone from strength to strength. His autumn/winter 2009 show featured a bold collection of black knitted body-con dresses, embellished with fringing and dramatic cut-out panels.

Has an eye for: Exquisite pieces that are contoured to the body.

Is inspired by: Finding innovative ways with knitwear.

Will be: Available from Browns Focus.

5. Eun Jeong: 2008′s Fashion Fringe winner, Eun Jeong leapt on the scene with a collection made entirely from white cotton lace. The Korean designer has since been working hard to develop her own label ‘1st element by hong eun jeong’.

Has an eye for: Neat pleats and effortless tailoring.

Is inspired by: Uniqueness in others.

Shop it: at Net-a-porter.com

6. Emilio de la Morena: Having trained as a sculptor in his native Spain before sharpening his fashion skills at Central St Martins in 2002, de la Morena’s designs are inspired by structural shapes and traditional Spanish artisan techniques.

Has an eye for: Fluid and feminine sculptural lines.

Is inspired by: The relationship between organic shapes and defined silhouettes.

Shop it: Online at Browns Focus.

7. Josh Goot: His sleek and monochromatic autumn/winter 2009 collection had London based Goot dubbed the new king of modernism, for his simple yet sophisticated use of black and white on shifts and neatly tailored suits.

Has an eye for: Colour blocking and clean lines.

Is inspired by: Human anatomy and abstract forms for spring/summer 2009.

Shop it: At Liberty.co.uk.

8. Mary Katrantzou: Since her fun graphic print collection for autumn/winter 2009, that featured dresses emblazoned with images of perfume bottles, we have not been able to shake the feeling that Katrantzou is going places. Having worked under fellow Greek, Sophia Kokosalaki and freelanced for Bill Blass, the young print designer also makes jewellery to complement her collections.

Has an eye for: Digital prints and bold, industrial jewellery.

Is inspired by: Antique perfume bottles and 18th century portraits for spring/summer 2010.

Shop it: At Browns Focus and Harvey Nichols.

9: Maria Francesca Pepe: With style insiders dipping into Pepe’s jewellery box for her hand-crafted Italian pieces to adorn their fashion pages – including Harper’s Bazaar – it is little wonder the designer already has a loyal following. You might have seen her designs embellishing the shows of Roksanda Illincic (S/S09 and A/W09), Emilio De La Morena (A/W09) and Louise Grey (A/W09), for which she designed a shoe collection.

Has an eye for: Chunky tubular necklaces made using old, handcrafted Italian techniques.

Is inspired by: Pieces that appeal to all tastes and ages.

Shop it: At Dover Street Market and the label’s own online store that launches this December.

Mfpepe.com.

10. Veryta: Designer and Fashion illustrator Tanya Ling brings her talents to the role of Creative Director of not-for-profit label Veryta, which appears for the first time this season. Launched with the backing of Yves Saint Laurent’s Stefano Pilati and Filippo Binaghi of Italian Silk manufacturer, Lorma, 10 percent of sales from the collection will go direct to children’s charities in India.

Is inspired by: Her native India.

Veryta.com

(Harper’s Bazaar U.K.)

I can’t say that I’m taking to the shift from runway shows to video presentations very well, but if Yves Saint Laurent is doing it, an artsy video might be the way to go. In Paris yesterday, YSL creative director, Stefano Pilati, continued the digital show trend, but preceded his Spring 2010 menswear showing with a brief, amateur narrative, starring director Samuel Benchetrit’s 11-year-old son, Jules. 

Take “Home Alone,” mix in a bit of French and add some fabulous YSL merchandise, and you’ve basically got the 8 minute short. If you’ve got the time to kill, give the video a quick play, otherwise, you’re not missing a thing:

Thanks NY Mag!

Yves Saint Laurent designer Stefano Pilati’s New Vintage collection of 60 limited-edition pieces at Barneys almost all sold out after just a day on the sales floor.

LINKAGE: WWD

Olivier Zahm shot Yves Saint Laurent designer Stefano Pilati‘s new floral tattoo for Purple Diary .

LINKAGE: Frillr

Puma has teamed up with Yves Saint Laurent’s Stefano Pilati to design a small, exclusive collection of men’s sneakers.

The shoes, which will be available in YSL boutiques, look sleek and versatile.  The limited collection is just two hightop designs: a leather shoe and a suede shoe, each available in black and gray.

GALLERY: YSL x Puma.

Today through February 21, you can buy Stefano Pilati’s first unisex collection for Yves Saint Laurent at a special pop-up shop in New York.

The suits are inspired by YSL’s iconic Le Smoking tux of the sixties. The line also includes high-waisted shorts, chic trenches, and pastel cardigans.

Edition Unisex Pop-up

55 Great Jones, at Bowery

Through February 21

Open daily, noon – 7 p.m.

LINKAGE:  The Cut

R.J. Cutler’s documentary on Anna Wintour and her mad dash to produce the September 2007 issue of Vogue hits Sundance this week. It’s instant nostalgia for the good days of fashion.

“My observation with the creativity in the hallways and offices is that Vogue is like the mist. You don’t think it’s raining and all of a sudden you’re soaking wet,” says Cutler on his experiences.

Designers set to have a major role in the documentary include Thakoon Panichgul, Oscar de la Renta, Patrick Demarchelier, Karl Lagerfeld, Nicolas Ghesquière, Jean Paul Gaultier, Stefano Pilati, Phillip Lim and Isabel Toledo, among others.

LINKAGE: Vogue On Film

I know the picture is hard too see, and I apologize but this is the best I could do for you. According to Stefano Pilati, YSL will release a unisex collection the upcoming Spring 2009, and the collection has been getting some serious hype already. The line focuses on the androgyny that all the women have been looking for of late, in that classic YSL style.

Thanks Timesonline

“I never touch the idea of sex. Sex one of the most complicated things; it’s too subjective. And if you have subjectivity, you have to balance it out – with you skills, your knowledge, the values of your brand. Sex for me is personal.“  Stefano Pilati designer for Yves Saint Laurent on why he’ll never be as sex crazed as Tom Ford.

Yves Saint Laurent designer Stefano Pilati’s fashion philosophy:

“For me, the main factor is the seduction factor. I want to look at a woman and feel seduced. I never touch the idea of sex. Sex [is] one of the most complicated things; it’s too subjective … Sex for me is personal.”

Thanks NY Mag via British Vogue

YSL head designer Stefano Pilati said Tom Ford was nothing compared to the late great YSL himself. Pilati served directly under him at the time as his design deputy. He tells Lynn Hirschberg in The New York Times Magazine coming out this Sunday:

“Tom had a very precise vision of the company that didn’t challenge women … Tom is talented but not gifted. That’s the way he managed the business. Tom would say: ‘We can’t do this silhouette because she looks fat.’ Or, ‘Oh, no — women don’t like this fabric; we can’t use it.’ That mentality was something to learn but was so far from my way of thinking. Why do you want to be safe? I’m more like: Why don’t you wear gray flannel for an evening dress? I find that fantastic! Not Tom, never.”

Thanks NY Mag

Actor/writer Jack Huston (Angelica Huston’s nephew, and the new Jonny Depp) is the new star of a YSL movie, where Sefano Pilati’s 2009 men’s wear collection.