Under the helm of creative director Anthony Vaccarello, Saint Laurent has steadily been expanding its cultural footprint, evidenced through its regular artist commissions and collaborations as well as the formation of its film production company last year.
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The luxury French fashion house’s latest venture takes on a literary tone, with the unveiling of a new bookstore in the 7th arrondissement of Paris at 9 rue de Grenelle. Dubbed Saint Laurent Babylone, the store’s name references the ties that Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé had to the Sèvres–Babylone neighbourhood, having moved there in 1970.
Vaccarello intended the store to emulate the Saint Laurent Rive Gauche boutique that opened in 1966 and later established itself in the Sèvres–Babylone neighbourhood. The bookstore adopts a pared-back approach not dissimilar to that of an art gallery; raw, textured concrete walls encase veined marble shelves and an expansive marble plinth that houses the curated selection of books and prints. An oversized blue and white rug adds textural interest to the space, juxtaposed by the sleek wooden table that sits atop it.
As for the tomes themselves? Entirely curated by Vaccarello, the literary offering spans art, music, literature, and—of course— fashion. Offerings include out-of-print works from the likes of Peter Lingbergh, Richard Prince, and Andy Warhol; expanded collections of ephemeral collaborations with artists like Cai Guo Qiang, Daido Moriyama, and Bruno Roels; photographs by British artist Rose Finn-Kelcey; and prints by Jeurgen Teller. Naturally, books published by the French fashion house itself are also on display, as is a selection of records such as Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love and Sade’s Promise.
Interspersed amongst the books and records are chocolates crafted in collaboration with pastry chef François Daubinet, Leica cameras, and an array of YSL collectibles including pens and lighters.
Saint Laurent Babylone is located at 9 rue de Grenelle, Paris.
Words by AR Staff
