Goodbye, Champs-Élysées. Hello, Sunset Boulevard.
Saint Laurent has announced that it will bring its men’s fall ’16 runway show in Los Angeles this season, forgoing its traditional show location in Paris.
The fall ’16 show will be presented on Feb. 10 at the iconic Hollywood Palladium, one of the oldest concert venues in L.A. It will feature Saint Laurent’s complete men’s ready-to-wear collection, as well as a preview of the women’s collection, which will show in full on March 7 in Paris.
According to a release, the show will be a tribute to the legendary music scene in Los Angeles — a fitting theme, given that the show will be held the same week as the 58th Grammy Awards. Past performers at the Hollywood Palladium include Frank Sinatra, The Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses, Bob Dylan and Prince (to name a few).
Considering Hedi Slimane’s revival of the storied brand via rock n’ roll influences, the new location makes sense. Showing in L.A. also happens to be a rising trend in the industry, as designers are looking to strengthen their relationships with celebrities and their stylists. Tom Ford showed his fall ’15 women’s collection there, scoring an A-list front row, including Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez.
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Meanwhile, rumors have been swirling of Slimane’s possible departure from the brand — the designer has yet to renew his contract with Kering, which owns Saint Laurent. Anthony Vaccarello is a name being floated as a possible successor, though the fashion house has not confirmed any of the rumblings.
The L.A. show will be Hedi Slimane’s second venture there: In November 2011, he launched the exhibition “California Song” at the L.A. Museum of Contemporary Art.
For more of FN’s men’s coverage, read on below:
Men’s Fall ’16 Preview: Designers Unveil New Shoes
Coach Debuts Fall 2016 Men’s Shoe Collection
