The YSL Sweater

By: Ruslana Bosakevych

Type: sweater

Location: Toronto

Place of origin: Italy

Object details: Yves Saint Laurent AW2012 Razor Blade sweater

Categories: footwear, men’s clothes, accessories

Brief description: knit sweater with razor print at front and on sleeves

Physical description: heavy-weight knit sweater, triplet of razor blades across it, cropped length, wide-cut, double layered flap in front

Materials and technique: 100 % virgin wool, flat knitted (RL), fully fashioned on sleeves, bottom finishing, bottom cut-outs, armholes, neckline; 2X1 rib (bottom hemline, armholes); 1×1 rib along the bottom cut-outs.

Collection/Exhibit name: AW2012

Personal Connection: I received it from my friend in 2019, who received it from his friend the same year, who got it from his roommate. I have received it in quite a magical and unexpected way. I have a special connection with it in two ways. The first is more emotional since it reminds me about my life before university and my move to the Netherlands, additionally about people I was surrounded with at that time. In a more materialistic way, as a fashion and textiles student I value the expensive and rare technique of knitting it was made from which can not be seen in fast fashion pieces, same as the velour print technique.

This particular piece was worn by my friend’s roommate and me. Generally, the Razor Blade sweater was worn by multiple celebrities, most notably Frank Ocean.

Talking about the history, it was created by the creative director of YSL Stefano Pilati as his last collection for YSL. The Razor Blade sweater was a 20s look in this Autumn/Winter 2012 collection, which combined formality and elegance, a lot of knits and leather were present in the collection. The razor print was inspired by pictures of American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.

The retail price of this sweater was 1000 EU(1441 CAD), however, it was a limited collection and was sold out quickly after release. After, it was possible to buy it on resale platforms: 1st Dibs sold for 1247 CAD, Grailed – 1096 CAD. The estimated price of this piece now is not known, since it was not available.

This piece was created in 2012 and represents the fashion of the early 2010s. This decade was characterized by hipster fashion, athleisure, a revival of alternative and austerity-era period pieces, neon streetwear in the 1980s, and unisex 1990s-style components influenced by skater and grunge trends. Grunge fashion is defined by sturdy, classic thrift shop clothes that are frequently worn loosely and androgynously to flatter the silhouette. This aesthetic was popularized and can be seen in bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam. The piece had a grunge-style razor print, with a velvety feel, which fades and disappears closer to the sides

gives the vintage look. The silhouette due to the heavy knit structure is straight, not emphasizing the body curves. Cropped tops are a defined piece of this decade which corresponds to the boxy fit of this sweater. There was no specific attention to the neckline and sleeves at those times, which are quite regular on the piece.