When I first heard the rumor that Yves Saint Laurent‘s new creative director Hedi Slimane was looking to change the iconic French luxury house’s name, admittedly, I scoffed. “Silly slow-news-day gossip that will never be substantiated,” I said to myself. Because what else could it be? Almost all of YSL’s branding over the last 10 years has centered squarely on the importance of the brand’s initials, and the Y in particular – from the incredibly popular Yves Saint Laurent Cabas ChYc to the Yves Saint Laurent Easy Bag, practically every major bag that the brand currently sells is predicated on the Y. Even many of the men’s bags use the logo heavily, and YSL’s logo is a stylized set of initials. The name is the brand.

And then today, the brand confirmed to Women’s Wear Daily that by the time Slimane’s first collection debuts in the brand’s stores in 2013, Yves Saint Laurent will be known as Saint Laurent Paris. The WWD article mentions changes to the ready-to-wear line specifically, and also that the YSL name will be used for “institutional” purposes, whatever that means. Additionally, the iconic YSL logo will remain in use in some capacities. Otherwise, Slimane will return YSL (SLP?) to the branding used in 1966, all the way down to the fonts. What the article makes no mention of, however, is what will become of the heavily Y-branded bags.

Although YSL’s handbags sell well, fashion people have been speculating for seasons that a change of course might be needed (not to mention welcome). It’s been fun to see how Saint Laurent will incorporate a Y into each of its bags – sometimes it’s a stitched-in piece that overtakes the entire facade, sometimes it’s a giant piece of hardware, sometimes it’s just a demure little luggage tag on an otherwise Y-less design – but the idea was starting to reach the end of its logical cycle, particularly considering the ubiquity of the Cabas ChYc. (Note the capitalized Y.)

Because we don’t know much about the upcoming transition, including how it will affect accessories, it’s possible that the bags as we know them will stick around for a while, not only because they’re still popular but also because too much accessories upheaval at once can wreak havoc on a company’s bottom line. That’s a chance that’s perhaps not worth taking while the other elements of Saint Laurent Paris are still being solidified and consumers are still adjusting to the brand’s new direction. Or maybe Slimane will surprise us all with a completely fresh accessories strategy for Spring 2013; at this point, I wouldn’t put it past him.

The only thing that seems certain, though, that maintaing the Y branding in the long term would run counter to Slimane’s big plans for remaking the brand into something more focused on its early heritage. If you’ve had your eye on one of YSL’s current bags, it might be a good idea to go ahead and scoop it up. For our money, Net-a-Porter and Neiman Marcus have the best selection of the brand’s bags on the Internet.

So what do you think? Are you ready for a new direction for YSL, or is Slimane messing with something that you’d rather be left untouched?

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UPDATE: WE HAVE CLOSE-UPS OF THE BAG! CHECK AFTER THE JUMP FOR MORE.

At the tail end of Friday, when I was too zoned out thinking about the upcoming holiday weekend and the impending arrival of New York Fashion Week to think real thoughts or accomplish real things, an interesting link came across Twitter. According to a story by Katherine Ormerod at UK fashion magazine Grazia Daily, Hedi Slimane’s first piece of accessory design as creative director at Yves Saint Laurent (Saint Laurent Paris? I’m still unclear what I’m supposed to say when I refer to the brand as a whole) has made an unlikely debut: on the arm of Gwyneth Paltrow at the airport.

Ormerod reports that Slimane designed this bag especially for Paltrow, so it’s unclear whether or not it’ll become a regular production piece for Slimane’s first Yves Saint Laurent/Saint Laurent Paris accessories collection in Spring 2013. If this is truly a Slimane x YSL piece, though, it might gives us a few hints about what we can expect from the brand’s forthcoming purses.

First, it’s absent any external branding. That might be because it’s a one-off piece, but it seems more likely that Slimane will want to position the accessories line in a way similar to blockbuster handbag brands like Celine and Givenchy. That means dialing back the ubiquitous Ys in favor of the new minimalism that has taken over some sectors of the high-end handbag design world over the past few years, which makes a certain amount of sense when you consider Slimane’s designer history and his tendency to be on the leading edge of aesthetic ideas. More notable than anything, though, is the fact that the bag is beautiful. As Ormerod points out in her story, you can tell that the bag is made of fabulous leather even in these grainy photos, and it would make a wonderful staple piece in almost any woman’s closet. Slimane would do well to make this bag a foundational piece in his inaugural YSL accessories collection.

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Fans of the incredibly popular Yves Saint Laurent Cabas ChYc Bag, you can breathe a sigh of relief: Hedi Slimane, Yves Sain- oops, Saint Laurent Paris‘ new creative director, is sticking with the brand’s most successful handbag. Women’s Wear Daily has an illuminating new look at what will change (lots!) and what will stay the same (not much!) going forward under Slimane, and although the handbag line will be otherwise completely refreshed, the ChYc’s unending love from fans has made it too valuable to discontinue.

Also sticking around? The forever-best-selling Yves Saint Laurent Tribute Pumps, which years ago ushered us into the era of enormous platform stilettos that we’re just now leaving. But will those styles remain unchanged? How far-reaching is the name-change going to be? And what about prices?

According to WWD, the ChYc will stick around, but only after a redesign by Slimane. It’s likely to retain the shape of the original, but I’d be surprised if the Y-on-Y branding went untouched; as we saw on Slimane’s first bag for Saint Laurent Paris, he seems to prefer a more pared-down look in line with Celine and The Row instead of the clear branding of the old YSL accessories. Since Slimane plans to alter the ChYc’s appearance, those aesthetic choices will likely guide the changes.

It also seems to be clear now that the Saint Laurent Paris name will be given to the brand’s accessories as well. When the renaming was first announced, people speculated that it would only apply to ready-to-wear, but the bag Slimane gave to Gwyneth Paltrow clearly
shows the new name and logo. As far as accessories prices go, we’ll have to wait and see, but WWD mentions that Slimane is looking to diversify (read: decrease) the brand’s ready-to-wear prices to attract younger customers. Here’s hoping that we can expect a bit of a discount on bags as well, but I wouldn’t bet on it. If you’d like to get in on the current Cabas ChYc, you can pick one up for $2150 via Neiman Marcus.

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If you keep up with fashion industry gossip, you probably already know what this is all about. If not, let me give you a bit of background: Hedi Slimane’s first women’s collection as creative director at Yves Saint Laurent/Saint Laurent Paris (and his first women’s collection ever, period) was not particularly well-received. To the vast majority of critics who viewed it (and to me), it looked a lot like a not-particularly-inventive retread of classic YSL ideas with a dash of Rachel Zoe thrown in for good measure. It wasn’t bad, per se, it just didn’t appear to be looking forward to the future of fashion. That fact was particularly blatant when compared to the season’s other highly anticipated debut, Raf Simons’ excellent, modern collection for Dior.

On top of that, YSL PR, apparently at Slimane’s behest, has taken to trying to micromanage the media response to both the collection and to Slimane’s efforts to rebrand YSL in general. (For an excellent read on the details of those efforts, check out Business of Fashion.) In particular, Slimane’s personal response to the middling reviews has been inelegant at best; he sent out a tweet that contained an open-letter graphic to New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn that was at once arrogant, passive-aggressive and immature. Having a public tantrum when your collection isn’t reviewed the way you had hoped is problematic in its own right, but in a larger sense, does it make a brand seem less desirable to you as a consumer?

Horyn occasionally finds herself at odds with designers over her blunt opinions, and she has the opportunity to express them in a way that other fashion editors don’t because The Times itself isn’t beholden to the good graces of fashion brands for ad revenue and loaned clothing for editorials. She’s one of the most well-respected critics in the world, though, and any designer taking the helm of a brand as large as YSL should be prepared to deal with a negative review from someone like her with the grace of a seasoned professional, at least for the sake of the brand’s public image.

I was excited to see Hedi’s debut and a bit disappointed with the collection, although my hopes were still high for the accessories (which, by all indications, will feel more current than the clothes did). Following all the controversy and Slimane’s public display of immaturity, though, I can’t help but feel…less excited. Behavior like his makes me lose respect for people, and I’m not sure I can spend a huge amount of money on a bag from a source that I don’t really respect. Not to mention that there’s nothing luxurious or high-end about trying to start a Twitter screaming match with a professional who was simply doing her job – reviewing a collection. I felt similarly about the collection that John Galliano produced for Dior that hit stores after he had been fired for his public anti-Semitic rant; even if the bags looked good, they’d still make me feel like I’m endorsing an attitude and identity that’s far less chic than it should be, for the price. So much of luxury is about image and branding that a lack of professionalism taints it for me; some of the specialness has been chipped away.

Do you feel the same way? Does the way that a designer conducts himself affect your perceptions or your buying patterns?

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I’ve been open and honest about my love of the extremely beautiful Yves Saint Laurent Chyc Bag. This bag is easy to love – everything about it is beautiful, but also a bit demure. There are so many amazing colors being released, but I don’t remember seeing a fully exotic version until now. With all the positive things that YSL has done with this bag, it is hard to see the wrong. Unfortunately, I see it when it comes to this rendition.

Typically I like python bags, but the color combination and print is just irking me in this instance. It’s hard to run into a bag that I truly love and still find a version that I don’t care for, but that’s what happened. I’m turning to you all to see if you agree, so help me out and fill in the blank! Shop this bag via Neiman Marcus for $5,495.

Fill in the blank: The Yves Saint Laurent ChYc Medium Python Tote Bag is _____.

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Predicting the future is hard, and almost no one does it well. The more information you have, the more educated your guess becomes, but in fashion, divining the potential aesthetic whims of the public at large will never be an exact science. All you can do is look at past successes and trying to figure out what they tell you about what might happen next, which is why I’m more than a little doubtful about The Cut’s assertion that the Saint Laurent Paris Classic Duffel will be the industry’s next It Bag; the bag simply doesn’t fit the pattern.

Over at The Cut, writer Stella Bugbee lays out her case for the Classic Duffel’s future world domination as approximately the following: She felt the same feeling when she first saw this bag as when she first saw the Celine Luggage Tote, which makes her pretty sure that this bag is going to be the next Celine Luggage Tote. If I sound dismissive in saying that, I certainly don’t intend to; those kinds of intuitive moments from someone who’s built a career in fashion can mean quite a lot. In fact, I agree with Bugbee that the bag will sell quite well, in all likelihood. It’s a marquee piece from a well-known, controversial designer who just very publicly took the helm of one of the largest fashion houses in the world – it would have to be an abomination against god to sell poorly, and it’s not.

The problem, though, is that it’s not much of anything. In the short history of It Bags from the Fendi Baguette to the Celine Luggage Tote, they’ve all had some sort of can’t-miss detail, whether it was a distinctive closure or a giant padlock or defiantly flared gussets. The Classic Duffel’s defining design characteristic might be that it has no defining design characteristics, and while that was likely done purposefully and might even be a bit clever, it’s not something that’s likely to reach out and grab enough customers to become a runaway, wait-listed hit.

As Bugbee mentions in her piece, bags occupy a particularly profitable spot in the fashion industry that makes them of utmost importance to the financial success of a brand. What she doesn’t mention, though, is how that affects what a bag must be in order to be successful. To move enough units to reach “It Bag” status, a design must appeal to customers who have a more limited interest in fashion than the hardcore fanatics who have followed Slimane’s antics since his arrival at Saint Laurent. That means it needs to be recognizable, distinct and memorable; this bag arguably fails at all three.

When I look at this design, I see a Louis Vuitton shape that’s had a Celine makeover, which is not necessarily a criticism. This bag feels very current in its minimalism and lack of ostentatious branding, and the shape and structure will make it a good functional choice for everyday. Those attributes won’t turn the Classic Duffel into an It Bag, but they do make for a very strong foundation on which to build a new accessories aesthetic at Saint Laurent. We may get an It Bag out of Slimane and Saint Laurent in the next couple of seasons, but I’d be very surprised if this one is it.

Another contraindication of nascent “It Bag” status: The bag is ready available for pre-order in all four colors via YSL.com for $2650. (Wonder if they’re going to keep that domain?)

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There is SO a “Many Bags of Hilary Duff” post coming down the pipeline. In the past few weeks alone, Hilary has been rolling out some fab bag choices – first the Givenchy Antigona, then a Goyard Tote she was using as a baby bag, and now, this exceptionally stylish Yves Saint Laurent Cabas ChYc Tote. This YSL bag has become a favorite among famous ladies who can bankroll a ridiculously awesome bag collection. You can snag one for yourself for $2450 via Net-A-Porter.

If you’re thinking “Wow, Hilary Duff is looking amazing these days!” It’s true, though in these pictures, she is leaving a hair salon in L.A. Which is kind of cheating. But the Duffster is looking super chic and polished here – not like the “ever-so-slightly frazzled mommy” or “celeb trying to discreetly leave a Pilates class” looks that we’ve featured from her in days past. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if this whole salon outing was just sheer paparazzo baiting. These pics are totally gonna be all over the glossies next week.

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Details on how Yves Saint Laurent would transition to become Saint Laurent Paris have only become more muddled as time has worn on. When Hedi Slimane was announced as the brand’s new creative director months ago, he announced the line’s new name. At first, it seemed as though the “Saint Laurent Paris” nomenclature would only apply to ready-to-wear and the old YSL logo would still be used. But wait, then the new logo was unveiled, and the brand’s PR outfit announced a naming system that includes Yves Saint Laurent, Saint Laurent, Saint Laurent Paris and Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane, depending on the type of item in question and how the name is being used.

Personally, I long ago stopped trying to decode what it is that Slimane and PPR are trying to force on us. They’re trying to make “fetch” happen, and it seems like most fashion watchers aren’t entirely buying it, perhaps mostly because they can’t figure out exactly what they’re being asked to buy. Those concerns over branding have radiated out into other areas of the business, and for us, the big question has always been, “What’s going to happen to the bags?” It looks like we’re starting to find out.

First, the Saint Laurent Paris Classic Duffel debuted, and although other publications have heralded it as the Next Big Thing, we (and you, judging by the comments) are not so sure. Now there’s the subtle makeover of the incredibly successful Yves Saint Laurent Cabas ChYc, which has been rechristened the Saint Laurent Paris Cabas Classique. You might have noticed a dearth of Cabas ChYc options at retailers lately – only the basics remain at most places, despite Resort 2013 shipments coming in left and right. That appears to be the result of a coming shift in the YSL (SLP?) product line.

At Nordstrom, a bag that appears to be a Cabas ChYc but is called a Cabas Classique is available for pre-order for $2,150, the same price as the medium version of the ChYc. The only difference appears to be the bag’s height – Nordstrom lists it at nine inches, while all the listings I can find for the previous model put it right around 11. The brand indicated that changes to the bag going forward would be limited (until public interest starts to wane, presumably), and a two-inch difference in dimension and a modest name change are minimal indeed. The two-inch difference may even be attributable to a difference in measuring standards across retailers; there’s no way to tell at the moment. Personally, I’m a bit underwhelmed; the Cabas has been around for several seasons and could actually use a re-imagining, and it’s surprising that Slimane declined to do it. Are you still interested in Saint Laurent handbags?

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Last week, we noticed a slightly modified Yves Saint Laurent Cabas ChYc Bag had just popped up on the Nordstrom website as the Saint Laurent Paris Cabas Classique, and it seemed as though we all knew what kind of changes we could expect for the beloved Cabas ChYc, at least for the season ahead. The big wasn’t quite as tall, and as a commenter noted, the handle bales had been switched from ovals to squares. No doubt about it, that was a different bag, if only slightly different. All was solved, except it wasn’t.

Yesterday morning, the bag above, known as the Saint Laurent Paris The Cabas showed up on Net-a-Porter. (It’s actually still listed as Yves Saint Laurent, but I’m betting that’s simply a biproduct of the branding chaos that Hedi Slimane hath wrought.) This bag is much more clearly influenced by the minimal accessories aesthetic that Slimane hopes to install at Saint Laurent (if his first original bag is any indication) than the Cabas Classique, with the smooth, semi-structured leather and missing stitched panels on the front of the bag. Slimane also added a luggage tag, which seems to be a requirement for every bag these days.

I’m still plenty suspicious of Slimane and his tactics, but this Cabas refresh is much more like what I was hoping to see him do to the brand’s accessories. It’s still a Cabas, but light years more modern. But still, isn’t the Y logo a tad…problematic? And do these changes speak to you, or are you already looking elsewhere for your future handbags? Do both bags need to exist on the same marketplace, or would this version have been a modest enough re-imagining to placate customers? If you’re into this one, you can pick up the medium version for $2,695 via Net-a-Porter. (Price increase ahoy!)

NAP is also carrying a small version with a shoulder strap, below, for $2,350.

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The closer we get to spring (actual spring, not fashion spring – fashion spring has been here since September), the more interesting the whole Saint Laurent handbag situation gets. At this point, we all know how Hedi Slimane’s presence at the brand has impacted the uber-popular Cabas ChYc Bag, and now Net-a-Porter’s New Arrivals page gives us some more insight on the other kinds of bags that Slimane has planned for the brand. We’re definitely headed in a Celine direction, ladies and gents.

We’ve taken a close look at the Saint Laurent Medium Classic Duffel, which retails for $2,650, in the past, but the Saint Laurent Reversible Shopper Tote, $1,495, and Saint Laurent YSL Clutch are new. Of the three bags, I think the YSL logo clutch is the most interesting – it’s a definitely indication that Slimane intends to make good on his word and continue to use the iconic company logo to which so many luxury consumers are attached, but it also makes me feel like he has a leg in two different brands. So what do you think? Check out all of Net-a-Porter’s new arrivals this-a-way.

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Late last week, I received a text from a friend, asking if I had seen “the new Saint Laurent Birkin.” This friend and I share (negative) feelings about new Saint Laurent creative director Hedi Slimane (and Cathy Horyn agrees with us, so I feel pretty good about it), so I knew whatever was waiting at the end of the link he included in the text would be worth at least a smug snicker, even if it weren’t as blatant a rip-off as he’d suggested. As it turns out, though, the Saint Laurent Sac de Jour Tote is actually that blatant a rip-off.

It hasn’t been a particularly good week for Slimane. His latest collection, a grunge-y Hot Topic fever dream inspired by the baser sartorial instincts of noted crazy person Courtney Love, was roundly panned by virtually every fashion critic whose publication would allow him or her to say starkly negative things about it. It was bad; far worse than his previous collection, which received little critical excitement but still looked like something that might conceivably be manufactured by Saint Laurent. (Don’t include the Yves, lest you be struck down by YSL PR.) Even I thought it was bad, and I love grunge. I own multiple pairs of combat boots. Still, nothing to see there.

At this stage in the game, Slimane’s additions to the Saint Laurent handbag line have been a relative bright spot. The designs are generally snooze-worthy, but just by virtue of being a brand with a buzz-worthy name behind it, they were bound to sell until the buzz wore off. By then, I had hoped that Slimane would improve at the whole handbag thing. This bag, though, shows little promise.

It feels like belaboring the point even to bother explaining all the details ripped straight from the iconic Hermes Birkin; you can also see the belted closure, gusset style, clochette (holding the key for what lock, exactly?) and proportion for yourselves. What’s perhaps more important is what’s been divested from the classic design: any sense of luxury or style. It’s not a particular stretch to say the same of much of Slimane’s Saint Laurent ready-to-wear.

If I haven’t been able to dissuade you, feel free to pick up this bag for $2,950 via Luisa Via Roma.

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Fergie Ferg was recently snapped exiting a recording studio in NYC, wearing what looks to be a minidress made out of a 1980s windbreaker (though I’m sure it’s designer – anyone care to ID?) and carrying the Saint Laurent The Cabas Tote. The Cabas Tote is Saint Laurent designer Hedi Slimane’s take on the Yves Saint Laurent Cabas ChYc, a bag that rose to fashion fame and populiarty during the tenure of his predecessor. Fergie’s exact bag is currently available for a cool $2,695 at Neiman Marcus.

We outlined the differences between the Cabas ChYc and The Cabas in this post, and readers by and large seemed to prefer the older Yves Saint Laurent version to the Slimane’s Saint Laurent revamp. Of course, that was two months ago – which do you prefer now?

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In scouring the Internet for our article on the Internet’s most expensive luxury handbags, one thing became clear: even if a brand doesn’t do much to actively promote its most expensive pieces, almost all of them have those bags waiting in the wings for the right client. Under previous creative director Stefano Pilati, Yves Saint Laurent was one of the brands that mostly dealt in regular leather, with an occasional snakeskin or ostrich bag here and there. Under Hedi Slimane, that (along with so many other things) appears to have changed with the Saint Laurent Alligator Cabas.

First, a general note: It’s not entirely clear what Slimane intends for this redesigned version of the Cabas ChYc to be called. SSENSE, which carries this alligator version (the most expensive Cabas ever, by our calculations), calls it the Chyc Tote. Net-a-Porter calls the leather version the Cabas Classique. Neiman Marcus has it as the Y Ligne bag. The Saint Laurent web store pretends the bag doesn’t exist entirely, along with any other design that isn’t a complete Slimane original. For a brand as concerned with a stark rebranding effort as Saint Laurent, you’d think this would have already been settled. At least one thing is certain, though: Slimane intends to take the brand’s accessories in an even more expensive direction than before.

Oddly, it’s one of his decisions that makes the most sense. Consumer interest in handbags at the top price tier of the market continues to grow, especially in Asia, and Saint Laurent has the name recognition to make that buying decision seem less risky. I’m also of the (apparently minority) opinion that the new, sleeker Cabas ChYc is an aesthetic improvement on its predecessor, and this alligator version takes full advantage of its simplified lines. What we have here is definitely the most exciting bag to come out of the brand since Slimane’s arrival, although I’m not sure it’s such a compliment to say that when the bag in question is a simple, black alligator tote based on the work of his predecessor. Buy through SSENSE for $29,500.

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To me, the Saint Laurent Cassandre Small Tassel Crossbody Bag felt pretty aggressive at first – considering all the branding kerfuffle that the company has gone through since the advent of Hedi Slimane, emblazoning the company’s old (but still used, sometimes, in particular instances, especially for cosmetics) logo in bright gold metal on the front of a rather small bag seems like a direct call-out to critics of the switch. And then I remember that it’s Slimane calling the shots now, so of course this bag as aggressive. Hanging a big tassel from the thing that best symbolizes the history people say you’re throwing away is about as big of a middle finger as a handbag can be.

For once, though, I feel like Hedi Slimane’s sense of humor, if he actually has one, can be felt in this bag. His critics, including me, have been hounding him since his first collection walked, and he seems more resolved than ever to do exactly as he pleases. I can respect that clarity of intent, even if I don’t respect most of the clothes and accessories he’s put out so far or the way he’s handled the pressure he’s been under. I also don’t particularly like this bag, for what it’s worth – the proportion of the logo, the bag and the tassel don’t work – but it did make me smirk, and at this point, that feels like it might be worth something. Also, it’s a pretty neat trick to get big department stores to sell your attempt to tell your critics to go shove it.

Buy through Neiman Marcus for $1,590 in three colors.

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When I first saw the Maiyet Sophie Shoulder Bag, I spent a couple hours turning it over in the back of my mind, trying to remember what exactly it reminded me of. There was something about the hardware, but I couldn’t exactly place why it seemed familiar. Finally, it hit me – it was like a curvier, more detailed version of the clean, modern Saint Laurent Lulu Shoulder Bag.

My feelings (and most of yours) about Saint Laurent’s venture into handbag design under new creative director Hedi Slimane have been mixed, but the Lulu is probably my favorite of the nascent range. It feels modern, it has a bit of signature hardware that matches that overall feeling, and the combined effect features just the right amount of restraint. It’s not too minimal, and it’s not too obviously inspired by something else. Even though these bags are quite similar, the curvy hardware and braided texture of the Maiyet option lends itself to a more bohemian aesthetic, while the Saint Laurent bag feels more fashion-forward. Because of that, the Saint Laurent bag wins my heart, but we want to know which bag you prefer in the comments.

Saint Laurent Lulu Shoulder Bag
$2,150 via Neiman Marcus

Maiyet Sophie Shoulder Bag
$1,895 via Net-a-Porter

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As some of you noted last week, I’ve been as critical of Hedi Slimane and his short creative tenure at Saint Laurent as pretty much anybody. I don’t care for how the designer behaves himself, which is a problem before you even start talking about the efficacy of his creative vision. Slimane’s first foray into women’s bags (literally, he had never had a hand in the design of a women’s bag before starting at Saint Laurent) has been largely hit-or-miss, with the reliable, functional (if a tad bit boring) Saint Laurent Classic Duffel failing to achieve the It Bag status that some had predicted. This brand new, much smaller version of the Duffel, though? This, I like.

Miniaturizing a bag, which is super trendy right now, can do a whole world of good if a design is either very ornate or very simple. In the case of this bag, the mini version (which isn’t all that mini at over nine inches wide) edits out some of what sometimes felt like yards of flat leather on the full-size Classic Duffel and lets the spare design’s sharply edited elements play a more obvious role. Condensed, the bag feels like it has a bit more personality, and it’s not even that condensed. (For comparison’s sake, the “small” version of the bag only has about two inches more space.)

The bag also has a super-functional crossbody strap and comes in chic navy leather (if you’re not a navy gal, black and pink are also available). The best part of this particular update, though, is the price – while the small Classic Duffel will still set you back over two grand for a bag that’s not much bigger, this size goes for a double-take-inducing $1,250 via Neiman Marcus. For this price and this bag, I wouldn’t hesitate. Maybe Hedi’s finally pulling his accessories situation together.

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Considering the beloved menswear collections that Hedi Slimane created as the head of Dior Homme, it’s perhaps no surprise that his men’s clothes at Saint Laurent feel like they’ve found their groove more quickly than his womenswear. That’s where his experience lies, after all, and Slimane’s rock star aesthetic lends itself well to dressing cooler-than-thou dudes with narrow hips, who make up much of the premiere designer menswear audience in the first place. Even those dudes have to schlep things around occasionally, the necessity of which brings us the Saint Laurent Roc Sack Backpack.

Beyond the cute play on “rucksack,” the bag is approximately what one might expect. Black leather, silver hardware, traditional shape – Slimane’s never shown an inclination to reinvent the wheel, and he’s certainly not doing that here. The leather does look rather thick and sumptuous, though, and it’s without doubt that any number of Slimane acolytes, male and female alike, will be seen slinging this bag over their already leather-clad shoulders come fall. If there’s anything I can appreciate from the aesthetic changes that he’s brought to Saint Laurent, it’s the tendency to use a lot of black leather.

For a men’s bag, the price of this backpack – $2,995 via Barneys – is a bit high, but in a way, I appreciate that a brand is pricing its bags marketed toward men the same way that it prices the bags intended for female consumers. Usually, we get the raw end of the deal.

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Here’s Fergie toting her trusty Saint Laurent Ligne Y Tote around Santa Monica. As you can see, she is still heavily pregnant. Thankfully, she’s staying out of her signature platform pumps and trekking around town in a pair of comfy Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro sneakers. (There’s further evidence that old school high-tops are making a comeback over on TalkShoes.) You can pick up Fergie’s Saint Laurent bag at Nordstrom for $2,695. Her sweet vintage-style kicks are available for $115 at Nike.

We saw Fergie with this bag a few months ago, before we even knew what to call it. As you can see, it bears a striking resemblance to the insanely popular Yves Saint Laurent Cabas ChYc Tote. (Amanda outlined the differences between the two bags in this post from January.) Popular sentiment still leans towards the Yves Saint Laurent version, but that may change if and when the Saint Laurent brand eclipses its historied Yves Saint Laurent legacy.

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A newly blond Selma Blair was recently spotted carrying a Saint Laurent Classic Duffle in yellow while taking her son Arthur to a playdate in LA. Selma is a favorite of Marc Jacobs, and it would seem that perhaps Hedi Slimane has taken a shine to her as well. This duffle is available for $1,990 at Nordstrom. If yellow isn’t the most flattering hue on you, it also comes in grey, black, red, and brown.

You might remember the recent kerfuffle between Selma and her Anger Management costar Charlie Sheen, which unfortunately resulted in Charlie having Selma canned from the show. (Stay classy, Charlie.) No word on what Selma’s next project will be, but I have a feeling she’ll come out ahead. A new dye job is always a great way to rejuvenate after life’s major disappointments, if nothing else.

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I mean, really. Just go ahead and guess how much the Saint Laurent Betty Borsa Mini Shoulder Bag costs. Get your number in your head and you’ll find me after the jump, where I’ll be chuckling to myself just like I am right now.

Ok, so it costs $7,500. That’s not nearly the highest price we’ve ever seen for a handbag around here, but for some reason, I nearly choked on a sip of water when I read it. It was as close to an actual spit-take as I’ll probably ever come, at least when it comes to purse prices. We’re all used to looking at a crocodile bag (or an Hermes bag of any kind) and assuming a price tag that reaches into the high four figures, but for a small shoulder bag that’s mostly made of regular leather and topped, by design, with a literal mess of chains, baubles and trinkets? It’s non-intuitive, to say the least.

Love him or hate him, much of Hedi Slimane’s short time at Saint Laurent thus far has been characterized by his willingness to take messy rock-n-roll staples like the leather jacket or motorcycle boot and render them in literal-but-luxurious ways, complete with utterly astronomical price tags, even by fashion standards. This bag, from his critically maligned Fall 2013 collection, is just the latest example of his commitment to that aesthetic. While I understand the allure of taking something that would otherwise be sloppy and spontaneous and instead constructing it in a meticulous, skilled way, it seems as though one would have to be a pretty ardent Hedi Slimane fan to put her money where her mouth is to the tune of $7,500 for what is basically a luxe-punk evening bag.

Slimane’s Saint Laurent collections have sold well, though, so maybe this bag will disappear before it ever hits the sale section. If you want to help that happen, pick it up via Neiman Marcus.

The post Go Ahead And Guess How Much This Saint Laurent Bag Costs appeared first on PurseBlog.