Saint Laurent, period. It seems that the label has settled on the visual identity that will be used for its rebranding, the news that has rocked the fashion world over the past few weeks. In New York recently for the opening of the Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama collection, British stylist Katie Grand – editor in chief of Love Magazine at Condé Nast and long-time collaborator with Louis Vuitton – posted a photo of the signage covering Saint Laurent’s future boutique on Mercer Street in SoHo on Twitter. The same logo can also be seen in a feature on Hedi Slimane in French Vogue’s August 2012 edition.

When contacted by FashionMag, it was confirmed by the label as the new visual identity that will be used for Hedi Slimane’s collections, to be revealed in Paris in October.

The signage covering the future boutique in Mercer Street in SoHo

Just as was recently announced, ‘Yves’ has been removed whilst Saint Laurent remains. The new logo, which harks back to the original logo used for the Saint Laurent Riva Gauche ready-to-wear line launched by the designer in 1966, will be found on the label of all of Hedi Slimane’s designs as well as on the frontage of planned future boutiques from the Gucci Group.

Saint Laurent’s – as it’s now known – upcoming American flagship store was announced by the French fashion house’s former directors two years ago, and joins the single YSL boutique to be found in New York on the Upper East Side. The official opening date has not yet been announced. The retail unit has been sitting empty since Hedi Slimane, already known for creating the ‘Dior Homme’ line whilst leading the menswear creative team at Christian Dior (LVMH), was announced as creative director last March – as in his new role his mission is to completely redefine the whole retail concept of Yves Saint Laurent. This most certainly explains why the fashion house has temporarily shelved the various store openings that had been announced in its most recent annual reports – in New York, Shanghai and most notably Paris, where almost 10,000 square feet are waiting on avenue Montaigne.

Yves Saint Laurent's new packaging bears the revamped logo 'Saint Laurent Paris'

The ‘retro’ branding has certainly divided the fashion world, but we won’t be saying goodbye to the Yves Saint Laurent label just yet. The fashion house has confirmed that only the ready-to-wear and accessories lines designed by Hedi Slimane will carry the new branding, which has been given the green light by the company’s directors. The company will continue to operate under the name Yves Saint Laurent, as will its beauty and perfume lines licensed by L’Oréal, carrying one of the most recognizable logos, designed by the illustrator Cassandre in 1963, in the history of the luxury market.

Saint Laurent Rive Gauche’s original logo, reproduced for the retrospective in Paris in 2011 / Photo: Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent