Our Five Favourite Looks By Saint Laurent

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Our Five Favourite Looks By Saint Laurent

Words by Chris Elvidge | Photography by Mr Ash Kingston | Styling by Mr Scott Stephenson

13 April 2016

It’s the rock ’n’ roll youth brand that you don’t actually have to be that young – or that rock ’n’ roll – to wear.

Saint Laurent trades in a particular brand of youthful, yet accessible cool: one that takes its cues from contemporary street culture while remaining relatable to men of all ages. And we mean all ages. Back in February, Mr Justin Bieber and Mr Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones – two men separated by half a century – were both photographed wearing the same silk bomber jacket from the brand’s current spring collection.

Who wore it better? If you ask us, they both looked pretty good. Such is the cross-generational appeal of Saint Laurent, a brand that distils the spirit of youthful rebellion down into a range of clothes that are beautifully made and – crucially – easy to wear. In this guide, we’ve picked out five key elements of the brand and suggested a simple way of working them into your wardrobe. As you’ll discover, you don’t need to be a global pop icon or rock ’n’ roll legend to make Saint Laurent work for you.

I’M WITH THE BAND

The brand’s exceptional and highly coveted leather biker jackets are a gateway garment for everyday guys to work some of that rock ’n’ roll style into their look. This one is worn with a faded checked shirt with ragged hems – a prime example of that West Coast, laid-back sensibility that Saint Laurent has promoted in its recent collections.

HERE’S THE SKINNY

Fans of the label’s skinny silhouette – unless very skinny themselves – can easily channel this look through Saint Laurent’s range of slim-fitting and flattering suits. Try softening the formality with a crew-neck cashmere sweater worn over a crisp white shirt.

FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS

For all the new directions the brand has explored, a strong echo of the label’s founder, Mr Yves Saint Laurent, remains – particularly in his love for that most prosaic of garments, the blue jeans. “I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans,” Mr Saint Laurent once said. “They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity: all I hope for in my clothes.” Happily, they’re also something that men of all ages are able to carry off. Wear them with a navy cashmere sweater and a pair of suede boots to add a little rock-star swagger.

SMOKIN’ HOT

The tuxedo is a recurring motif at the house of Yves Saint Laurent, who himself made waves in 1966 when he introduced “Le Smoking”, a then-groundbreaking pant-suit tuxedo for women. The brand has pushed this further, luring the tuxedo jacket out of its natural habitat and showing that you can wear it with anything you want. Pair it with slim denim and a silk shirt to turn Friday night at the opera house into Saturday night (and Sunday morning) in a basement bar somewhere off the Champs-Elysées.

SAINT LAURENT FOR SHY GUYS

We must end our endorsement of all things Saint Laurent with one small caveat: if you find yourself struggling to carry off the rakish signature look – and you wouldn’t be the first – then please don’t force it. The first rule of dressing well is to wear clothes in which you feel comfortable. Besides, there are plenty more subtle ways to work the brand into your look. We’re particular fans of its low-top tennis sneakers, which work beautifully with a pair of blue jeans and its understated range of monogrammed bags.

Shop all of Saint Laurent here