Fashion Icon: YVES SAINT LAURENT

Yves Saint Laurent

Algerian born Yves Saint Laurent began his success in the fashion industry at the age of 21 when he succeeded Christian Dior in 1957 as head designer at Dior. He was quickly recognised and appreciated for his talent, specifically the Trapeze Dress from his Spring 1958 collection. After a few seasons, of success and hard press critique, he had to join the French Army to serve during the Algerian War of Independence. Soon he found out that he had been replaced at Dior, which caused much stress which influenced his later drug and mental issues.

The Trapeze Dress

Together with Pierre Berge they founded the Yves Saint Laurent brand in 1961. This was his time to shine, he created many iconic looks during this time including: 

• The Mondrian Dress - from 1965, its success can be accredited to the timelessness of the garment. It was fabulous, bold and accessory friendly. Its design concept was definitely 'out of the box' with its use of art in clothing.
  "For me what is important is (...) the Mondrian Dress because it is an iconic dress." - Pierre Berge
  "The Mondrian Dress is synonymous with youth and fun swinging '60s. It is one of the best known projects in the history of fashion." - Kerry Taylor of London-based Kerry Taylor Auctions

The Mondrian Dress

The Mondrian Dress // French Vogue September 1965

• Le Smoking - from 1966, it consisted of a classic dinner jacket in black grain de poudre wool, or satin, and trousers with a satin side-stripe with a ruffled white shirt, black bow tie and a wide cummerbund of satin. It represented hollywood glamour; it was a Red Carpet androgynous look associated with Marlene Dietrich. It symbolised confidence and female sexual empowerment. Its popularity is linked with it being a fashion scandal and the way it revolutionised the way women dressed.
  "The thing about a tuxedo is that it is virile and feminine at the same time, I don't remember my first one - I think it was in the early 1980s when the picture was taken - double-breasted and very severe. It really does make you feel different as a woman, it changes the gestures." - Catherine Deneuve
  "For a woman, Le Smoking is an indispensable garment with which she'll always be in fashion, because it's all about style, not fashion. Fashions come and go, but style is forever." - Yves Saint Laurent
  "I like Le Smoking, because that was the moment when Yves empowered women." - Pierre Berge
  
  

  

  
  

  Le Smoking, phot. Helmut Newton

  
  

  

  
  

  Catherine Deneuve in Le Smoking
• The Safari Jacket - from 1967 offered a 'military' and heroic feel and was a romantic view of the Hollywood voyage trend ("Mogambo").
  
  "Short, sexy, worn with a belt with a ring-shaped buckle, it embodied the manifesto of liberty that was shaking up wardrobes." - Virginie Mouza of Le Figaro
  "Saint Laurent (...) is constantly playing with culture and identity - you might say he was "on safari" for new species of dress he could translate or transfigure." - Laura Jacobs of wsj.com
  
  
  

  

  
  

  Veruschka in the Safari Jacket

  
  

  

  
  

  The Safari Jacket
• The See-through Blouse - from 1968 was incredibly scandalous and controversial for its time - it was a shock factor. The garment offered a "nudity without nudity" look and epitomised the attitude that anything goes.
  
  "Then he did the famous See-through Blouse in clear silk chiffon. The audience literally took a mass in-take of breath - as if we'd been watching a firework display" - Paul Smith
  "There has been a new trend in fashion. It is young and aims more to attractiveness than elegance." "I suddenly became conscious of the feminine body. I started to have a dialog with women and became aware of what it meant to be a modern woman." - Yves Saint Laurent
  
  

  

  
  

  The See-Through Blouse

  
  

  

  
  

  The See-Through Dress
• The Green Fox Fur Coat - from 1971was part of a 40s inspired collection. The coat represented glam rock and was over the top. It was an anti hippie movement and gave an end to the swinging 60s. Its controversy was caused by its association with prostitutes, it also glamourised WWII.
  
  "His bright green Fox Fur Coat from that collection is something a prostitute would have worn in 1943 in order to pick up a German soldier during the Occupation." - Morgan Meis

The Green Fox Fur Coat

Naomi Campbell // YSL Haute Couture SS 2002

"Yves was first with everything and has inspired practically everybody." - Vogue