By William Stolerman

The Yves Saint Laurent Spring/Summer 2011 Manifesto will make its global debut on March 5 in Paris, New York, London, Milan, Tokyo, Los Angeles and Hong Kong.

The Manifesto was conceived by Yves Saint Laurent Creative Director, Stefano Pilati, and is a publication that celebrates YSL’s current season. Now in its eighth edition, the latest issue features model Arizona Muse in the Yves Saint Laurent Spring/Summer 2011 collection. Photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, over half a million copies of the Manifesto will be distributed globally.

Pilati said: “I offer another perspective of a luxury brand to a broad demographic that doesn’t necessarily relate to fashion in the way that a more privileged layer of people do. I want to create a wider influence for the message that is being sent from the catwalk, by taking imagery of the collection and giving it to people on environmentally friendly paper in the street without targeting a specific demographic.”

Starting from 12 noon, the relevant distribution point in Hong Kong will be the crossroads between Wyndham Street and Queen’s Road Central. The first 1,000 people to collect the Manifesto will also be given a custom cotton YSL Manifesto tote bag.

Distribution will then extend from Central to Causeway Bay, Wanchai and Tsim Sha Tsim at select destinations in the afternoon. Downloads of the complete Spring/Summer 2011 Manifesto will also be available on ysl.com as of midnight Hong Kong time, March 4.

www.ysl.com