Hedi Slimane's First Ad for Saint Laurent Paris is Nude Musician

A much-anticipated campaign from Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent Paris made its debut today, and features musician Christopher Owens.

WWD writes:

The pale flesh, long hair and cushions bring to mind the famous nude fragrance ad from 1971 of the founding couturier — although only Owens’ torso is visible. Saint Laurent — Slimane’s new moniker for the Yves Saint Laurent collection and stores — is spelled across the opposite white page, with the word "Paris" underneath. A YSL spokeswoman described the campaign as “institutional,” to convey an atmosphere, with the Owens spot the first of 15 different images. Future campaigns are to feature Saint Laurent fashions.
 
Owens was until recently the lead singer of the San Francisco band Girls, and he has been photographed previously by Slimane, who plans to continue working as a photographer in addition to his role as creative director of YSL.

Thoughts?

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #720

SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND: Her GOP challengers attack her on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'.

FIRE TORNADO: It's that hot and dry in Sao Paulo.

BULLDOG: Takes in Family Guy.

YVES ST. LAURENT: Apparently singlehandedly destroyed the ozone layer.

Records Set as Yves Saint Laurent Estate Auction Defies Recession

Matisse's 1911 oil painting ''Les coucous, tapis bleu et rose'' (The Cowslips, Blue and Rose Fabric) set a record for the artist, selling for $41.1 million at Christie's art sale from the estate of Yves Saint Laurent. Records were also set for Marcel Duchamp, Constantin Brancusi, James Ensor, Piet Mondrian and Giorgio de Chirico. The auction's first night brought in $264 million:

"Pierre Bergé, who was Mr. Saint Laurent’s business and personal partner for many years, said in a brief interview that he was very happy with the results. 'But you have to know that I’m very cool about things every day,' he said. He was more emotional later at a brief news conference. 'The day Yves Saint Laurent died, I decided this collection had run its course,' he said. 'It was something we created together.' Mr. Saint Laurent died last June at 71. Mr. Bergé said he explored the possibility of creating a museum for Mr. Saint Laurent’s fashion and art collections but that the project proved too difficult. 'Selling it was the only possible solution,' he said. The proceeds, separate from the commissions that his own company, Pierre Bergé & Associés, will presumably share with Christie’s, are to go to the foundation he established with Mr. Saint Laurent, to various cultural projects, to charity and to found a new research center to combat AIDS."

A Telegraph report on the auction and a video tour of the couple's home, AFTER THE JUMP...

News: White Knots, Eclipse, Yves St. Laurent, Arkansas, James Franco

NYT Op-Ed: A compromise on same-sex marriage? "It would work like this: Congress would bestow the status of federal civil unions on same-sex marriages and civil unions granted at the state level, thereby conferring upon them most or all of the federal benefits and rights of marriage. But there would be a condition: Washington would recognize only those unions licensed in states with robust religious-conscience exceptions, which provide that religious organizations need not recognize same-sex unions against their will. The federal government would also enact religious-conscience protections of its own. All of these changes would be enacted in the same bill." Pam: Flawed...

Matthew McConaughey shows the Brazilians how to flex.

James Franco wins Independent Spirit Award for Milk.

Jaguars: First Mexico, now Arizona...

Who wore a White Knot last night at the Oscars?

Yves Saint Laurent art auction expected to bring in $250 million: "A large portion of the proceeds is to go to a foundation to support AIDS research." His longtime partner Pierre Berge talked about the collection last December: "I’m very happy to have made with Yves one of the greatest collections of the century. In a few years, I will be very pleased to see at an exhibition the label ‘Provenance Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé.’ In time people will tell one another, ‘You really should know about these two guys, who lived in the 20th century in Paris.’ I don’t believe in God. I only believe in human beings, in memory. That’s all. The memory will persist."

Norwegian iTunes leaks Kelly Clarkson album to the internet one month early.

Possible self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci discovered in southern Italy: "The damaged oil-on-panel portrait was discovered by Nicola Barbatelli, a medieval historian, while he was researching the archive and picture collection of an aristocratic family at Acerenza (population 3,000), an ancient village perched on a rock above the river Bradano near Potenza in the southern Italian region of Basilicata. The family has asked to remain anonymous."

Michael Jackson planning "biggest comeback in history": "In one of the most lucrative music deals ever, the cash-strapped singer is reportedly on the verge of securing £1.5million-a-night to perform. Sources close to the negotiations have dismissed rumours of recent ill health and say a deal is weeks from being announced. The residency at the 20,000-seat arena will eclipse the longest run of 21 shows at the arena by U.S. singer Prince in 2007. Jackson is said to favour London over a U.S. venue because he still enjoys huge popularity across Europe."

Dallas Voice interviews U.S. Congressman Jared Polis.

Madonna pulls a Benjamin Buttons before heading to the Vanity Fair party.

Medical examiner details injuries of Ryan Keith Skipper, says slain man tried to fight back: "Deep cuts and slashes covered his back, neck and shoulders. He also had small bruises on the back of his head from falling or from someone hitting him, Volnikh said. It was the cut to the throat that killed the 5-foot, 10-inch man, Volnikh testified. The cut was 3.5 inches deep. A blade tore through his skin, tissue, muscles and, more fatally, an artery. Skipper quickly bled to death."

Japanese probe photographs penumbral lunar eclipse as it orbits the moon.

Relatives remember Harvey Milk: "The first time I ever met Harvey was at our wedding. He flew in from California to be our best man. He was already in the Navy, a deep-sea diver. I thought he was very stunning when I saw him. He came in his Navy uniform and seemed to be charming, very charming."

Arkansas Presbyterians approve gay ordination: "Arkansas Presbyterians voted overwhelmingly Saturday for a constitutional amendment to allow noncelibate homosexuals to serve as deacons, elders and ministers in the Presbyterian Church (USA). The lopsided 116-64 vote surprised leaders of the Presbytery of Arkansas, a collection of nearly 100 congregations spread across central and northern Arkansas.  'It tells me that there’s no predicting the Holy Spirit,' said Interim General Presbyter Sallie Watson, shortly after the vote. The presbytery, which has roughly 15,300 members, had narrowly rejected a similar proposal in 2001."

France not ready for a gay president.

UK Big Brother Star Stuart Launches YSL Guyliner

Stuart Pilkington, an actor from the UK's Big Brother reality show, is apparently the spokesmodel for Yves Saint Laurent's new men's eyeliner and demonstrated it shirtless at a recent launch while his fans waited to pounce in the background.

Make Her Up reports: "Touche Eclat For Men is unfragranced and will 'encourage men to use cosmetics as a skin enhancer, rather than to create a full make-up look', the company claims. David Walker-Smith, director of beauty at Selfridges, which will sell the product for $45 a pop, said: 'Men have gone from stealing beauty products from their wives and girlfriends to stocking up on their own. They no longer consider them to decrease their male bravado.'"

Wonder if they're bringing this to the states. Maybe Pete Wentz would push it, although he's probably coming out with a line of his own.

Or perhaps Mario Lopez, who was reportedly the talk of a recent EA Sports event for the mounds of pancake and mascara he was wearing.

Anyway, if you'd like a look at Stuart sans the guyliner, check out the video AFTER THE JUMP...

News: Shanghai, Cynthia Nixon, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Prince William

Australian Capitol Territory holds first same-sex civil partnership ceremony.

Bachelor Summit: Matt Grant towers over Andy Baldwin.

Cynthia Nixon stands by her girlfriend's clothing demands.

Military sociologist Charles Moskos, who helped establish 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell', dies in California: "Dr. Moskos' research examined the modern military experience in unprecedented detail, gleaned in part from his ease with the rank-and-file soldiers. 'He truly had an impact on the military,' said Gen. Wesley Clark in a statement. 'He gave many of us the reassurance that someone out there knew us, cared about us and could help see our best interests as a nation and a military were looked after.'" More from SLDN.

Prince William sets sail in the Caribbean.

From the stacks: Grandfather was queer.

Brad Pitt to design green hotel (with team of consultants) in Dubai: "Whilst acting is my career, architecture is my passion. Selecting this development as my first major construction project has been a simple decision. It will underpin not only my values for environmentally-friendly architecture, but also embrace my career in entertainment."

Live Cool: Shanghai gets new gay nightclub.

McCain schedules appearance with country singer John Rich, who once said: "I think if you legalize [gay marriage], you've got to legalize some other things that are pretty unsavory. You can call me a radical, but how can you tell an aunt that she can't marry her nephew if they are really in love and sharing the bills? How can you tell them they can't get married, but something else that's unnatural can happen?" Rich later apologized after public outcry.

Shakespeare's grave getting a makeover.

Queer Quinn : New York news anchor in Freudian slip.

Under Armour issues statement denying relationship with Al Reynolds, Jr. after photo surfaces: "I wanted to clarify what has been reported. Al Reynolds is not a spokesperson for Under Armour, nor is there any business relationship of any kind between the Under Armour brand and Al Reynolds."

Nancy Pelosi endorses gay San Francisco Assemblyman Mark Leno in bid for state senate.

11-year-old trailer once used as canvas for a young Banksy, now may fetch £500,000: "Called Fragile Silence, it shows commandos landing stereo equipment on a beach. The trailer’s owners, Maeve Neal and Nathan Welland, say Banksy has authenticated the work, which he completed before they drove the truck to the Glastonbury Festival in 1998. And instead of them paying him, he gave them two free festival tickets for providing the ‘canvas.’ At the time Banksy, whose real name has never been confirmed, was little known."

Gay Colorado congressional hopeful Jared Polis contributes $2.1 million of his own funds into his campaign.

Fashion world remembers Yves Saint Laurent. Simon Doonan, of Barneys New York: “I have a permanent shrine to Yves in my house: a pair of couture croc thigh boots. His highwayman looks, his Cossacks, his lesbian tuxedos, his sexy safaris, his djellabas, his Spanish cigarette girls, his tartan flings. There is no end to his influence and fabulousness.”