Hedi Slimane faces a tough job at Yves Saint Laurent, according to Pierre Berge. The designer was recently named as the French fashion house's new creative director and while Berge - the former partner of Yves Saint Laurent - thinks he's a great choice, he knows he has his work cut out.

"It's a great problem, very complicated, to recreate the work of a genius. Like trying to rewrite Faulkner. To put your stamp on the name of Yves Saint Laurent requires someone who has talent, conviction, rigor, a demanding nature and a great sense of color," he told T Magazine.

But Berge - who has always been a Slimane fan - knows the French-born sartorialist will not disappoint and will cope with the pressure put on him: "He is a man of talent who can preserve the genius and legacy of Yves Saint Laurent."

Paul Deneve, chief executive officers of Yves Saint Laurent, has previously said of Slimane - who used to head up Dior Homme - was the perfect person for the job. "Hedi Slimane's exceptional talent and understanding of the spirit of Yves Saint Laurent heralds a promising new chapter in the story of the maison."