The Biggest Fashion News Headlines of 2012

Save for Raf Simons's arrival at Dior, no other designer switcheroo was talked about more than that of Hedi Slimane at YSL. Hopes were high from the get-go that the brand was poised for a bright new future, but anticipation gave way to controversy when it was announced that Slimane would change the house's iconic label and name.

And there were other problems at the maison as well, most notably a lawsuit with Christian Louboutin over the right to sell red-soled shoes. While the suit was eventually dropped, the media attention over Slimane's Saint Laurent had reached an all-time high by the time the ready-to-wear shows bowed in Paris in October. Whether the news was "Slimane vs. Simons" or the fact that certain members of the press were left off the show's guest list or the collection's somewhat mixed reviews, one thing was certain: a new era had begun at Yves Saint Laurent — just not the one that everyone had hoped for.