Luxury brand Saint Laurent announces the creation of a film production company

French luxury brand Saint Laurent announced on Thursday the creation of a film production company, Saint Laurent Productions, which will make its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in the official selection with Pedro Almodóvar's "Strange Way of Life".

"I want to work with all the great film talents that have inspired me over the years and give them a platform," Saint Laurent's creative director Anthony Vaccarello was quoted as saying in a statement.

The fashion house, which is part of the Kering group, says it is the first luxury brand to include film production in its activities.

Saint Laurent Productions will participate in the 76th Cannes Film Festival from May 16 to 27 as part of the official selection with Pedro Almodóvar's "Strange Way of Life", starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal, the press release said, confirming a report by the luxury industry website WWD.

David Cronenberg and Paolo Sorrentino are among the filmmakers with whom Saint Laurent Productions has other projects in the pipeline.

"These directors never fail to open my mind and, in a way, the singular and radical vision they bring to cinema has made me the person I am today," says Anthony Vaccarello.

Vaccarello, the luxury fashion brand's creative director since 2016, will create the costumes for the films produced by Saint Laurent Productions.

In 2022, Saint Laurent had a turnover of 3.3 billion euros, up 33% on the previous year. The brand did not specify how much money will be invested in the films it intends to produce.

Kering is already involved in the world of cinema, notably with Women in Motion, which for the past nine years has been "highlighting women in cinema, both in front of and behind the camera". This year the award will be presented to Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh.