by
Anthology of a Decade
by Hedi Slimane
2011
Through a collection of Hedi Slimane's photographs of the 2000s, this book presents the journey of the iconic designer into fashion before, during, and after his tenures at Yves Saint-Laurent and Christian Dior. It is in this decade that critics acknowledge Slimane to have infused men's fashion with an androgynous, rock 'n' roll verve that influenced couture all over the world.
In a 2003 conversation with "Interview's" Ingrid Sischy, Slimane discussed his beginnings as a photographer: "I started taking pictures before I even began in fashion. I didn't start with clothes until I was 16, but I had my first camera when I was 11. I've always taken pictures, almost like some people take notes or write down their thoughts."
The four volumes reveal Slimane's duotone photographs mixing the music scene, street fashion, and his haute couture shows, are as fresh as his paradigm-shifting work in fashion. They reveal his inspirations, his attention to both youth culture and classical references, and attest that his contribution to haute couture was maybe the constant refining of a line and silhouette that was to mark the culture of the noughties.