Beyond YSL

Fashion design can sometimes be like the art of forgery. When a young designer takes over a house with a particular DNA, the designer is expected to deliver on the particular style, with surrounding debate about how well the vision is fulfilled. This season Stefano Pilati went beyond Yves Saint Laurent, presenting his final collection while also taking the label to the next level. Other than Chanel, YSL is probably the hardest to push forward because like Chanel, YSL was such a singular designer and his label has become a fixture of French identity.

The tactile and seductive forms by Pilati represent the best of YSL's sex appeal, with the exact amount of new energy and polish. There is no replacement for France's sainted designer but this is YSL in the moment of now.

There are those who suggest fashion is an art form and then there are fashion forms that simply prove it.