Hedi Slimane

Infobox Fashion Designer


|caption=
name=Hedi Slimane
nationality=Tunisian, French
birth_date=birth_date_and_age|1968|7|5
birth_place=Paris, France
death_date=
death_place=
education=
label_name=Dior Homme (2000-2007)
significant_design=
awards=2002: "International Designer of the Year" by the CFDA|

Hedi Slimane (born July 5, 1968 in Paris) is a Tunisian-French fashion designer of Tunisian and Italian-Brazilian origins [cite web |url=http://www.style.com/vogue/feature/050601/page2.html |title=Hedi Times] . He studied political sciences (hypokhâgne prépa Sciences-Po), and Art History at the École du Louvre, and was also educated as a tailor. From 1992 to 1995 he worked for Jean-Jacques PicartFact|date=April 2008, notably on the centenary exhibition of Louis Vuitton's "LV" monogramme label.

Biography

Professional life

Pierre Bergé appointed him at Yves Saint Laurent in 1997 as Collections and art Director, and he relaunched YSL Rive Gauche Homme. He decided to leave the house in 1999, and was proposed to create his brand with the GUCCI GROUP. He was also proposed to join PRADA GROUP to design Jil Sander. He chose Christian Dior, and became the creative designer for men’s clothing at Christian Dior, and created the line and world of Dior Homme, for Christian Dior in 2000. In 2002, the Council of Fashion Designers of America named him the International Designer of the Year in New York. In 2003, he was appointed creative director for Christian Dior men's fragrances. He created the first colognes ever produced at Dior, Eau Noire, Cologne Blanche, and Bois d'Argent, (Eau Noire was made to measure for him), and the first men's institutional and classic fragrance at Dior, Dior homme, and Dior Homme Intense. He also created the first skincare lines for Dior, Dermo system.

In July 2007, Hedi Slimane decided to quit the house of Dior. In order to convince him to stay, LVMH proposed him to finance his own signature line. Negotiations lasted for 6.5 months.Fact|date=April 2008Slimane called them off in February. He made a statement on his website to explain his choice. Slimane did not want to lose his creative freedom, sell his name, and lose the management of his own brand.He left for US, joined his friend Gus Van SantFact|date=April 2008, and started a new project, "Young American", which was partly shown at FOAM museum in July 2007.He opened 2 others shows, at Arndt and Partners gallery, in Berlin, SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH (a groupshow, with contribution form the emrging Ny art scene), and a solo show at Ellipse Foundation for contemporary art.Hedi Slimane is currently working on a few upcoming exhibitions: in November, PERFECT STRANGER, in collaboration with MUSAC museum at galery Almine Rech, in Paris, February 2008, in Tokyo, at Koyanagi gallery, and May 2008 at Musac Contemporary art museum in Spain. He is expected to debut a line of his own which will include womenswear. [cite web |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/29/business/lux.4.php |title=Dior parts with star designer |accessdate=2007-03-29 |last=Menkes |first=Suzy |date=2007-03-29 |publisher=International Herald Tribune]

Having a background in furniture design, fragrance, store design, and photography, Slimane is noted for the slim silhouette of his menswear. In addition to his work as a fashion designer, he has been involved in various other projects, including becoming editor-in-chief of "Libération" and designing album covers for artists such as Phoenix. In 2004, he published "Stage", the first book ever published on the new rock scene, a collection of his Rock photography. Slimane has published several other books of his photography and has contributed writing and photography to many style and fashion magazines including "Vanity Fair". Slimane has many connections to the British indie-rock scene, notably his close friendship with controversial Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty, or Amy WinehouseFact|date=April 2008. In 2004 German documentary-makers Christina Trebbi and Gero Von Boehm made a documentary about Slimane, entitled "Hedi Slimane, ma vie" ("Hedi Slimane, my life").

Slimane is widely known to discover young and thin models for his fashion shows, and have recruited models in the streets of London, New York, and Berlin who fit within his criteria. Isaac Ferry, the son of rocker Bryan Ferry, made his catwalk debut at one of Slimane's shows when he was 16 years old, among many young rock stars. He has started a large amount of careers in the model industry.Fact|date=April 2008

Slimane interest for indie rock started a whole movement in fashion. His silhouette and attitude have been adopted widely on a street level. he also started a few british bands, among them Eight legs, and These New Puritans.

Hedi Slimane lives between Paris and Los Angeles.Fact|date=April 2008

Slimane was misquotedFact|date=August 2007 in many interviews as saying that he survives on a delicately balanced diet and prefers food that he doesn't have to chew much. The mistake came from from a mistranslation: "baby food", means "comfort food" in French. [cite web |url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,1575847,00.html |title=To Dior For |accessdate=2007-06-25 |last=McLean |first=Craig |date=2005-11-25 |publisher=The Observer] He does not drink, smoke or do drugsFact|date=April 2008. He designs on his own.

Cultural References

*Hedi Slimane is mentioned in the song "This Lamb Sells Condos" from the album He Poos Clouds by Final Fantasy.
*A Boston punk band named Keys to the Streets of Fear released a song in 2005 called “Hedi Slimane”.
*A french Singer, Etienne Daho, refers to the "Silouhette en Slimane" in the song "Vis à vis" (2003 "Réevolution" Album)
*Henry Holland refers to Slimane on a T-Shirt slogan "CAUSE ME PAIN HEDI SLIMANE"

References

External links

* [http://www.hedislimane.com Hedi Slimane Official site]
* [http://www.diorhomme.com Dior Homme]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/main.jhtml?xml=/fashion/2001/07/03/efparis.xml Ferry's son scales the Hedi heights in catwalk debut] "Telegraph" 2001
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c3aXu-0B-w Dior Homme Hedi Slimane] video of campaigns, SS02-SS07

Persondata
NAME=Slimane, Hedi
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=French fashion designer
DATE OF BIRTH=July 5, 1968
PLACE OF BIRTH=Paris, France
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=