PIERRE HARDY Competitors

Founded in 1961, Yves Saint Laurent was the first couture house to introduce the concept of luxury prêt-à-porter in a 1966 collection called ‘Rive Gauche’, synonymous with youth and freedom. This shift represented a first critical step in the modernization of fashion and revolutionized the socio-cultural landscape. In 1999, the luxury goods division of the Kering Group acquired Yves Saint Laurent and, under the creative direction of Anthony Vaccarello since April 2016, continues to position the house at the summit of the luxury universe. Today, Saint Laurent collections include women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, shoes, handbags, small leather goods, jewelry, scarves, ties and eyewear. For further information, please visit our website: www.ysl.com

Christian Louboutin opened his first boutique in 1991 in Paris. An artist and a craftsman with a passion for shoes, he is now considered to be one of the most influential fashion designers of his time. Louboutin’s collections combine wit, glamour, elegance and technical proficiency like none other. Since the brand’s launch, his creations have been immortalized in museums, on fashion week runways, red carpets, and in pop culture around the world. As a result, the Christian Louboutin brand name and his signature red sole are now among the most valuable trademarks in the fashion industry.

Founded by Spanish-born Cristóbal Balenciaga in 1917 and established in Paris in 1937, the original house of Balenciaga defined modern couture with its many innovations to form and technique. Today it continues to uphold the vision of the House through boundary-pushing collections including women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, accessories, and objets d’art. The brand’s unprecedented interactions with the expanding digital realm, material developments, and today’s social responsibilities keep it at the forefront of modernity. In 2021, Balenciaga’s 50th couture collection—the house’s first since its founder retired in 1968 – reintroduces a standard of cutting-edge elegance. For more information, please visit www.balenciaga.com Fondée par l’espagnol Cristóbal Balenciaga en 1917 et installée à Paris depuis 1937, la Maison Balenciaga a contribué à définir la couture moderne par ses nombreuses innovations formelles et techniques. Aujourd’hui, elle perpétue cette vision originelle dans des collections à l’esprit précurseur, qui s’étendent au prêt-à-porter pour femme et pour homme, ainsi qu’aux accessoires et objets d’art. Perpétuelle avant-gardiste, la marque se distingue par une exploration sans précédent du monde digital, par le développement incessant de nouveaux matériaux et par un sens aigu de ses responsabilités sociétales. En 2021, la cinquantième collection couture de Balenciaga, la première depuis que son fondateur quitta l’industrie de la mode en 1968, renoue ainsi avec ses origines, s’affirmant plus que jamais comme une pionnière de l’élégance contemporaine. Pour plus d'informations, veuillez visiter notre site www.balenciaga.com