Yves Saint Laurent was the only
fellow couturier that Gabrielle Chanel “approved” of. She hated
Dior for putting women in clothes that set them back 100 years-the tight
jackets and corsets, the spike heels.
The freedoms of movement
and independence for a new day that Dior took away. She hated
all the other male designers who came before or were her contemporaries
and she tolerated Elsa Schiaparelli. But in Monsieur Saint-Laurent
she recognized a kindred soul (even though she wouldn’t have admitted
it) in dressing women in clothing that was beautiful and elegant but
gave them independence and power. His work could have almost been
a continuation if hers.
YSL reached his apex at a time
when women were beginning to become truly important and successful in
the world of business giving us elegant and exciting clothes to wear
each day. And pants were instrumental to that success.
The fashion lexicon that YSL gave
us has seeped into the rich language of our clothes in a similar to
Shakespeare’s language still present in our language today-sometimes
it’s so subtle you don’t even realize it. Certainly the obvious
references of chic and severe pants suits and the safari looks but also
all the interesting sleeves we have today, the jewel colors, the way
women can be successful in business but wear gorgeous over the top clothes,
really tall boots, using street fashion to inspire the couture.
I remember working at Bonwit Teller
in the 80’s and seeing the first of the Saint-Laurent pieces, wishing
with all my heart I could buy it. The ladies of the designer suits
and coat departments thought I was cute and let me try them on every
so often and those experiences contributed to my love of beautiful fabrics
that slide deliciously over the skin, of clothes that must fit perfectly
and of the quality that the really high-end merchandise brings.
I remember the YSL exhibit at
the Met, it was one of Diana Vreeland’s brilliant achievements and
clearly done with love. The sleek mannequins went so perfectly
with the clothes. The swirl of the colors, the glitter of the
jewels (and they were huge pieces in those days) and how close you could
really get to each piece because there was no glass separating us from
the work in those days and the Costume Institute was still a basement
but it didn’t feel as if it was, like it does today. There was
more open space, more space for clothes. I had to see it twice
because the first time I was in such awe that I couldn’t do anything
but be guided along with the crowd. And in those days there weren’t
the crowds there are today. The shows were brilliant but not the
commercial blockbusters of today-if you went at 9 am you could almost
be in the rooms by yourself. Except for the Saint-Laurent show.
My mother hates and is allergic to fragrance and even so I grew up with a canister of Rive Gauche in the guest powder room. I wore it on very special occasions as it was way too old for me but I loved the little spritzes-I felt glamorous and grown up. When Bonwits had the exclusive (for a few weeks) on Paris the promotion with the fragrance was a beautiful umbrella-black with a profusion of pink roses covering the whole thing. I had that umbrella for years until it was stolen-the time I was mugged, I lost a cute little Gucci bag and that umbrella... which upset me more than the bag.
I am remembering…and I am wearing a safari outfit today because it’s fashionable again and in honor of… YSL
-- Jennifer
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