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Tunisian-Italian, French-born fashion designer and photographer Hedi Slimane has had quite a storied career. Though in his early life he aspired to be a journalist, he found himself, at just 28 years old, as the ready-to-wear director of acme design house Yves Saint Laurent. His ascension continued from there when he was named creative director of Dior Homme in 2000. Ever inspired by music, he had 200 speakers installed in the ceiling of the atelier. His focus on music has become so broad and intertwined with his other concentrations, it's almost too difficult to keep track of every musician he's photographed, clothed, or commissioned. His declaration that "fashion = music + youth + sex" adds to the reasoning behind most of what he’s done as a designer. He’s been granted a seemingly unlimited access to whatever musician currently suits his fancy. With that in mind, we bring you A History of Hedi Slimane's Photography Collaborations with Musicians.
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Saint Laurent Menswear Runway Shows
15. Saint Laurent Menswear Runway Shows
Since his installation as creative director at Saint Laurent 2011, Slimane has taken to putting indie rockers on the runway to model his looks. Sure, their faces might be little-known in the world of fashion, but their look is exactly what Slimane was looking for. These have included Zachary Cole Smith of Brooklyn band Diiv, Matthew Hitt of the Drowners (who moonlights as a model), and in his first runway debut for the company, he had the rambunctious garage rock of San Francisco's Ty Segall blasting over the runway.
Jack White
14. Jack White
Jack White is known—aside from being one of the greatest guitarists of this generation—for having a very particular style. So when the former White Stripes front-man lets you mess with his clothes, take it as a compliment. Slimane gets that honor.
California Song
13. California Song
Slimane relocated to California to concentrate on his photography in 2007 following a series of failed contract re-negotiations with Dior. It was there that he started photographing musicians and bands in the area, including Christopher Owens of Girls, Local Natives, Best Coast, and more. The result was an exhibition at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. This included an original soundtrack by L.A. experimental punk duo No Age on a specifically-designed speaker system, billboards around the city of Slimane's photographs, and a book in 2011.
Hedi Slimane California Song from Commonwealth Projects on Vimeo.
Pete Doherty
12. Pete Doherty
Slimane, in 2005, published an entire photo book revolving around the burgeoning rebirth of the London punk scene. Doherty, the singer of British indie rock bands The Libertines and Babyshambles, was a fixture of the monograph. "London Birth of a Cult" gave Doherty fashion-world establishment cred—he was basically unknown at the time. Since then, Slimane also created on-stage looks for The Libertines. Doherty went on to have a tumultuous relationship with model Kate Moss.
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Lady Gaga
11. Lady Gaga
Slimane photographed the cover of Lady Gaga's 2009 EP The Fame Monster. The cover was initially rejected by Gaga's record company, but she eventually convinced them to run with the Gothic-inspired photos. The typeface used on the cover is also reminiscent of Dior's sans-serif fonts. When Slimane returned from his sabbatical between Dior and Laurent, Gaga tweeted it was a dream that he was back working in fashion.
Razorlight
10. Razorlight
Said to be Slimane's strongest moment of his tenure as Menswear Director at Dior, the August/Winter 2005 collection was a smattering of rock 'n' roll chic. For the runway show, Slimane commissioned indie rockers Razorlight to compose an exclusive track. The result was "In The Morning," a slushy, rambling ode to rock 'n' roll nights—a perfect companion and a high point for both the now-defunct band and the Dior-departed Slimane.
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Phoenix
9. Phoenix
As part of his ongoing Rock Diary, Slimane documented French rockers Phoenix in the studio in 2011, on the run-up to their new album Bankrupt! He'd previously commissioned the group to do the soundtrack for his 2005 Winter runway show (below). As one of the best-dressed rock bands out there, we're almost positive Phoenix has worn a Slimane design or two.
Beck
8. Beck
Slimane and Beck have a partnership that goes back years now. In 2010, Beck recorded the sound of Slimane's two Triple Black Rolls Royce models as part of a photoshoot the Slimane did of the cars that he's so fond of. Beck also starred in the ads for Yves Saint Laurent's spring-summer 2013 line, with his billowing "Paper Tiger" as the soundtrack for the video version. Slimane has photographed Beck numerous times since then.
Saint Laurent Paris
7. Saint Laurent Paris
As a part of his new post as Creative Director at Saint Laurent, Slimane has featured a number of well-known rockers in his Parisian ad campaigns. These have included incredible photographs of Marilyn Manson, Ariel Pink, Kim Gordon, and Courtney Love. The ads have been met with nothing less than adoration from the fans of the musicians, as well as admirers of design and the fashion world.
Mick Jagger
6. Mick Jagger
It's one thing to take design influence from the rock stars of years past. It's quite another to start dressing the rock stars who have informed your style. So, when you're dressing rock royalty, you might as well be considered rock royalty yourself. That's exactly the post Slimane has been holding with Mick Jagger for the last few years.
These New Puritans
5. These New Puritans
For Slimane's 2007 Autumn/Winter collection titled "Navigate Runaway," the designer commissioned London-based art-rockers These New Puritans to create the soundtrack. The result was "Navigate, Navigate," a stunning and subtly-shifting track of rock clangor.
Franz Ferdinand
4. Franz Ferdinand
Beyond photographing the band in their early years, Slimane has created a number of stage looks for the Glaswegian alt-rockers.
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Madonna
3. Madonna
As Slimane's popularity grew, so did his appeal. Though he had never designed a womenswear collection, many female celebrities began wearing his Dior Homme designs as they rolled out around 2002. This included legendary pop artist Madonna. When you're in, you're in. When Madonna wears your suits designed for men, you're in for life.
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Daft Punk
2. Daft Punk
Slimane's designs can take his rock 'n' roll inspiration and make it so slick it fits in the closets of France's most famous electronic dance duo, Daft Punk. Slimane's Saint Laurent tuxedo jacket designs appeared in the 2013 video for the Punk's video promo and single "Get Lucky." Slimane's photographs of Daft Punk in the suits appeared on the cover of DAZED Magazine. Another shot featured disco composer legend Giorgio Moroder. Lest we forget, he's created stagewear for the duo as well.
David Bowie
1. David Bowie
Slimane is known to remark, "I was literally born with a David Bowie album in my hand." He was six when a sister's friend gave him a copy of "David Live." On the cover, Bowie appears in a wide trouser and a double-breasted jacket. This moment is said to be the genesis of Slimane's inspirations. So it must have been a thrill for him when, in 2002, Bowie presented the designer with a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. It must have been an even greater thrill to dress Bowie for the stage—Slimane did so for a number of Bowie's tours.
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