Courtney Love Has Spoken: Why Hedi Slimane Rules (And Why She Might Be Wrong)

If anyone is guaranteed to "gasm" over the recent grunge trend in high-end fashion, it's Courtney Love. The princess of hot-mess-chic took to social media and gushed over Hedi Slimane's take on '90s rebel style for Saint Laurent's fall '13 collection. "I love it," she said to The Fashion Law's Julie Zerbo. "It reminds me of Value Vintage." For those of you who don't know, Value Village is an American chain of thrift stores like Goodwill or The Salvation Army.

Of course, Love's off-the-cuff commentary didn't stop at praise for Slimane's highbrow, Swarovski-lined grunge. The musician is no stranger to Slimane's mix-and-match looks that clomped their way down a slate runway with tousled hair and shadowy makeup — she's been rocking that look for almost two decades (before it was en vogue and in Vogue). Saint Laurent's take on grunge is, for lack of a better word, trendy. Leather jackets, plaid coats, and some shredded denim are right up the alley for any hipster going for the intentionally disheveled look. "Hedi is a genius," Love said. Yes, but surely there are others living a bit closer to the creative edge? "No offense to MJ [Marc Jacobs] but he never got it right," Courtney said. "This is what it really was. Hedi knows his shit. He got it accurate, and MJ and Anna [Sui] did not.”

Love is rightfully entitled to her opinion, just as anyone else is — perhaps she's even right. But we, however, can't help but feel a little underwhelmed by Saint Laurent's collection. The looks aren't pushing any boundaries like Marc Jacobs' oversized patterned dresses and skirts did when they appeared on Perry Ellis' spring 1993 runway. There was a sense of playfulness in those red plaid capris paired with a neon beanie and a mustard-yellow petal overcoat. The models even wore a range of shoes from beat-up boots to worn-in Converse. Jacobs' grunge felt thrown together, and rebellious — but creative and cool at the same time. Slimane's collection felt, in comparison, streamlined and smooth.

Real grunge is, of course, the antithesis of thousand-dollar dresses and million-dollar brands. But back in the day, Marc Jacobs did it in a way that felt freshly rebellious — an homage and a high-fashion take on a grassroots trend. And, clearly, grunge and DIY style isn't going anywhere; the Met is dedicating a whole exhibition to the movement. Luckily, we don't have to search high and low for true punk — it's hanging on the racks of our nearest Value Village, Beacon's Closet, and thrift store. (Grazia Daily)