Saint Laurent Paris Rive Droite 2021 Autumn Winter Selection

 

Saint Lurent Paris continues its Rive Droite line of everyday items with Saint Laurent's logo emblazoned on them.  

The latest selection includes face masks, re-useable coffee cups, mini ashtrays, bike and bike locks, usb cube chargers, lomogrophy cameras, dice games, Hunter boots and a gold plated console.  With the exception of a few items, such s the Hunter boots which feature metal studs, the only distinction between these products and the non-SLP branded ones, is the SLP branding.

We have written about this previously, and have to repeat, this is nothing more or less than copying Colette's business model.  Colete Paris did exactly this, presenting a curated selection of unusual items for consumers, mostly with Collette branding and the famous Colette blue.  Saint Laurent aren't even. attempting to hide this fact, since the Rive Droite store even occupies Colette Paris's former 213 Rue Saint-Honore location.

There isn't anything fundamentally wrong with this, Colette's goal was to create a fun experience, and share unusual and unique items, however, the Saint Laurent approach lacks the heart and soul of Colette, it is fundamentally a business venture first and foremost, and as much as it tries to be playful with it's offerings, it's pretty clear what this really is.

This is unfortunate, as the luxury goods consumer could do with some authenticity, and some fun, to lighten the mood during the present times.  Still it could be worse, at least they aren't price gouging like Louis Vuitton and trying to charge £750 for a face mask.