As part of the Saint Laurent Rive Droite project, the house’s creative director Anthony Vaccarello works with the Italian design group Memphis, which turns 40 this year. To celebrate the tie-up, Vaccarello presents an exhibition of pieces by Memphis and its designers – including the RING bed designed by Masanori Umeda, the CARLTON room divider by Ettore Sottsass, and RIVIERA chairs designed by Michele De Lucchi in 1981.
Inspired by the graphic, playful and colourful furniture synonymous with Memphis, Vaccarello (who, based on his recent collections, seems to have a newfound fondness for colour) has also created for Saint Laurent an exclusive capsule of two multicoloured checkerboard hoodies, two dresses, one shirt and two pairs of sneakers. The unique capsule crossbreeds Saint Laurent’s classic pieces and the electric spirit of Memphis.
Memphis, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, was founded in 1981 by Ettore Sottsass and has since become one of the most dominant names in the world of art and design. It represents a cultural movement and is known for reinterpreting shapes, scales, materials, and colours to create daring and unforgettable interior design and architecture pieces. Now, this notion inspires collaboration between both Saint Laurent Rive Droite and Memphis.
Rounding out the collaborative project is a capsule collection designed by Vaccarello that takes the unimitable characteristics of Memphis’ works and applies this to two multicoloured checkerboard hoodies, two dresses, one shirt and two pairs of sneakers.
The exhibition took place on June 23 in both Saint Laurent Rive Droite stores in Paris and Los Angeles, together with a selection of homeware pieces, ceramic objects and textile accessories. A selection of books representing the history and works of Memphis were also present in stores.
Furthermore, French fashion has also launched its range of lifestyle products by creative director Anthony Vaccarello in the UK.
In a short press release, Saint Laurent explained that the homeware collection featuring towels, dinner plates and candle holders as part of its plan to continue to expand the “universe and the DNA” of the luxury brand.
The pieces available for the first time in the UK are thanks to Vaccarello’s “extensive and diversified product offering from different fields of innovation and design,” added Saint Laurent.
Seen as an expansion to the fashion house’s clothing and accessories business, Saint Laurent will introduce exclusive lifestyle products designed with speciality brands such as JL Coquet, Baccarat and Bang and Olufsen to select flagship stores around the world.
Highlights from Saint Laurent’s lifestyle collection includes a skateboard adorned with the fashion house’s signature, leopard printed plates made in collaboration with JL Coquet, a Saint Laurent engraved Baccarat black crystal vase and leopard print bath towels.