Why Travis Scott’s relationship with Saint Laurent is brilliant

Travis Scott is a name that dominated news sources throughout all of 2018. In 2018 alone, Scott managed to release one of the most anticipated albums of the year, received Grammy nominations, continued fostering a relationship with Kylie Jenner, and went on a nationwide tour. Scott has an incredibly loyal fan base that will come to his side in almost any situation. Many critics attribute his newfound jump in fame to have come from his growing relationship with social mega-star, Kylie Jenner.

However, as any longtime Travis Scott fan would know, Scott has been making connections over the years to build his career. Travis owns and controls his own record label Cactus Jack Records, curated the soundtrack for NBA 2K19, collaborated with brands such as Nike and  Ksubi, and recently played in the Super Bowl LIII halftime show. Despite all of these accomplishments, Travis’ most impressive one has been his relationship with Yves Saint Laurent.

Source: Hypebeast

Travis and Saint Laurent’s relationship started on Dec. 15, 2017 when the two came together to work on a vinyl. This project was a 12 song curated vinyl by Travis Scott – distributed and designed by Anthony Vaccarello of Saint Laurent. Alongside the vinyl, Scott hosted a release party at the Colette store in Paris. In the same year, Travis Scott released the song “Saint Laurent Mask.” This came from the collaborative album “HUNCHO JACK” that Scott put out with Quavo (yes, Quavo from the Migos). This furthered Scott’s relationship with Saint Laurent and gave the brand free publicity. Then, at the end of 2018, Saint Laurent announced that Travis Scott would be the face of their spring summer 2019 campaign. This was a big step in the designer world. In the past, rappers have walked in and attended designer shows (most recently Playboi Carti and Offset in Off-White’s fall 2019 show). However, a rapper had not been the face of an entire campaign before Travis Scott.  

Travis Scott’s relationship hit a peak with Saint Laurent on Feb. 5, 2019 when the two came together on the music video for “Can’t Say” – a song off of Scott’s most recent album: “Astroworld.” Saint Laurent has been known for its dark tones and use of monotone color schemes in recent years. Joining forces with Travis Scott – a figure also known for his use of darkness – has created a product that is just as much beautiful as it is evil.

The music video looks as if it has been filmed on the set of “The Dark Knight.” It opens with an infinite amount of dark figures atop motorcycles and wearing helmets that we learn later on in the video have “SAINT LAURENT” inscribed across the right-hand side. As “Can’t Say” plays over the course of the video many of Travis Scott’s well-known themes appear. At the start, there is a scene with an amusement park in the background, quickly assumed to be a reference to “Astroworld” – the amusement park to which Scott’s album is named after. The video also implements his love for animals. A group of horses can be seen running at different points in the video. Finally, Scott’s blow-up head, which was used for the cover of the album, is used as a gateway out of the tunnel the video took place in. Where Saint Laurent came in to play – aside from funding the production – was the wardrobe. In the description, it states that all clothes are by Saint Laurent, specifically by Anthony Vaccarello.. Vaccarello dressed Scott and company inthe same way Scott would dress himself: dark, fitted and angsty. These are the same themes Saint Laurent’s SS19 campaign embodies.

What Saint Laurent is doing differently is appealing to the youth. Saint Laurent’s high price tag requires them an entry point into millennial minds. This is what Scott is giving them. Whether it’s referenced in songs, hosting parties or producing music videos, Scott and Saint Laurent have been giving each other publicity for years. Through this they have become their own entity, almost building a brand through one another’s assistance. Blending the worlds of fashion and hip-hop on a deeper level is being recognized by the public.

People that were once just Travis Scott fans are now being exposed to Saint Laurent, a high-cost brand that is not advertised as frequently as Gucci or Louis Vuitton. Saint Laurent has been exposing their own clientele to Travis Scott’s discography, and vice versa.