1936-2008 Yves Saint Laurent

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Evening Dress - Haute Couture Spring/Summer 1967

This dress is from Saint Laurent's African collection, his first to look beyond Western fashion. Although inspired by African motifs and patterns, the intricate beading and embroidery were accomplished using materials and techniques typical of couture embellishment.

artsandculture.google

 

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"City Pants" Pantsuit (Left) - Fall/Winter 1967 | Safari Suit Spring/Summer 1968 (Right)

The May 1968 protests in Paris had a dramatic effect on the values of French society at the time. Yves Saint Laurent used this social movement as his pretext to push on ahead with the Pant Suit for women, something that had been taboo till that moment. Saint Laurent’s caliber as a designer is evident in this new look, which, while "unisex," remained ultimately feminine. The garment on the left, Saint Laurent’s ‘city pants,’ was acclaimed for representing the same functionality as a man’s suit. The safari suit on the right is from the designer’s 1968 Spring Summer collection, the theme of which was "Africa", and in which Saint Laurent reinvented the functional hunting suit and turned it women’s town wear.

artsandculture.google

 

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Evening Dress (Christian Dior) - Spring/Summer 1958

Pale blue tulle with applique of small silver sequins in star, leaf and hexagonal shapes. A: Evening dress; ankle-length; straight neckline; strapless bodice, horizontal tucks; fitted natural waist; full skirt, top six layers of blue tulle, every other layer containing sequin applique; self-bow center front waistline; small red legion of honor ribbon affixed to upper proper left neckline; center back hook and eye closure; attached ivory net boned corset, extending into underskirt, additional ivory China silk underskirt. B: Large, rectangular stole. Label, A: Christian Dior, Paris, Printemps-Ete 1958.

artsandculture.google

 

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Dress (Christian Dior) - Spring/Summer 1958

This dress, named the "Trapeze," is one of the breakthrough works of the young Yves Saint-Laurent, who then worked for Christian Dior. The loose waist and the simple silhouette are remarkable features and probably the starting point toward the next stage known as the A-line. Highly sophisticated techniques of Haute Couture such as precisely calculated darts and ironing, realized this clear form.

This dress is one of the first collections introduced by the young Saint-Laurent, who took over Dior's fashion house after his sudden death. The minimalism in this work, eliminating any decorative factors including flashy colors, patterns and materials, is very interesting as a step towards the simple mini dress in the coming 1960s.

artsandculture.google

 

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Cocktail Dress (Christian Dior) - Spring/Summer 1958

Spanish prototypes were the inspiration for the cocktail dress shown here. Asymmetrical lines and densely ruffled valances at the neckline and hem offer the dress a highly dramatic effect. The smooth, close-fitting bodice, with long narrow sleeves meets a wide skirt hat is severely ruffled at the waist. This effect is incorporated and amplified by the valances at the low neckline and hem. The dress was presented by the model known as Naomi.

artsandculture.google

 

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Two-Piece "New York" Cocktail Dress (Christian Dior) - Spring/Summer 1958

This two-piece cocktail dress illustrates this loose line that does away with the waist and combines a simple, square top with a flared skirt. The shirt-like, straightfalling bodice of fine silk taffeta has a flat oval neckline and a small bow that sits at the waist is the single ornament. Underneath this, the hemline meets in a central scallop. The quarter length sleeves give way to a trapezoidal line to the shoulder. The dress closes in the back with seven buttons. The skirt is not made separately, resulting in a loose figure-skimming cut with a nonetheless impeccable fit. The slanted slit pockets on both sides of the skirt accentuate the trapezoid form. The dress was shown at the fashion show in the category robes habillées and was presented by the model known as Nicole.

artsandculture.google

 

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Cocktail Dress - Spring/Summer 1966

Cocktail dress in alternating silver and white horizontal sequin bands, on wool ground; shift; above-knee length; high V-neckline in front and back; short sleeves; 1 1/2-inch silver sequin band at neck and hem; center back zipper closure; white silk lining. Label: Bonwit Teller. Attributed to Yves Saint Laurent.

artsandculture.google

 

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Dress - Spring/Summer 1968

Silk Dashiki-inspired Dress with Beading, by Yves St. Laurent, Paris, spring 1968

artsandculture.google

 

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Yves Saint Laurent, 1957
Photographer: Irving Penn



artsandculture.google

 

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Vogue Paris September 1972
"Collections 72-73"
Featuring: Chichinou Kappler, Regine Jaffrey, Hubert de Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Emanuel Ungaro, Louis Féraud, Marc Bohan
Photographer: Helmut Newton
Hair: Jean-Louis David




ciaovogue.blogspot.com

 

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Yves Saint Laurent photographed by Jeanloup Sieff

1969



1971


1972


1983


irastehmann

 

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Vogue US February 1975
"European Fashion: The Movers"
Featuring: Yves Saint Laurent, Loulou de la Falaise, Marina Schiano
Photographer: Deborah Turbeville




voguearchive via justaguy

 

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Evening Dress - Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 1979/1980
Photographed by: Sophie Carre

This long dress, from the Fall-Winter 1979 collection, consists of a bodice with three-quarter sleeves in black silk velvet from the house of Leonard, as well as a skirt in duchess silk satin from the house of Taroni. Its embroidery of patchwork applications is signed Brossin de Méré and presents a satin guitar and silk ottoman embellished with shapes reminiscent of the painter's cubist canvases.

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Evening Dress - Haute Couture Spring/Summer 1967
Photographed by: Sophie Carre

In 1962, just as she was about to end her dance career, Margot Fonteyn met the Russian dancer Rudolf Noureev. They danced together, notably in the classical ballet Romeo and Juliet. They met and befriended Yves Saint Laurent in the 1960s. The couturier would go on to dress Fonteyn both onstage and offstage.

Photographed here is this fully embroidered dress from the Spring-Summer 1967 haute couture collection, which belonged to her and is now conserved at the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris.

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Costumes designed for Stavisky (1974, directed by Alain Resnais), worn by Anny Duprey.
Photographed by: Sophie Carre

museeyslparis

 

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Short Evening Dress - Fall/Winter 1970/1971

Wool crepe by Gandini, machine-made silk Chantilly lace by Brivet.

The back is one of the body's most vulnerable parts. Aesthetically speaking a woman cannot control the appearance of her back, and so is at the mercy of whoever is looking at her. Thus she can become the ultimate defenseless 'female object', scrutinized and above all desired. And yet, since the 1920s her measureless power resides in her audacity: letting stranger’s eye read her skin, desiring to know more.

Unequalled in his awareness of the erotic power of this version of hide-and-seek, Yves Saint Laurent (1936–2008) used his 1970–1971 autumn-winter collection to reveal this ultimate emblem of his talent. This austere, black, long-sleeved dress was worn by his muse Betty Catroux, and while its front is buttoned very high, the back is immodestly veiled with silk Chantilly lace from the neck to the base of the spine. With its blend of the pious and the outrageous, the dress as worn by model Marina Schiano was immortalised by photographer Jean-Loup Sieff in the September 1970 issue of Vogue.

palaisgalliera.paris.fr

 

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Evening Dress - Autumn/Winter 1966/1967

Embossed taffeta with lurex by Abraham, gold tulle by Dognin embroidered by Rébé with gold thread and precious stones.

Formerly belonging to Hélène Rochas (1927–2011), wife of the couturier and director of Rochas perfumes, this dress is remarkable for its purity of form and luxurious embroidery.

Saint Laurent's overall aim was an impression of simplicity and majesty. To lengthen the silhouette, he gave the dress an empire waist and a long, slightly flared skirt. The stiffness of the material by Abraham enabled the stylist to interpret the power and simplicity of the couturier's line with a structural meticulousness perhaps reminiscent of Balenciaga.

Here that special Saint Laurent alchemy revives the concept of classicism 'à la française'.

palaisgalliera.paris.fr

 

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Evening Dress - Spring/Summer 1992

The Lesage-embroidered flowers on the jacket bring to mind Matisse's Morocco paintings. Yves Saint Laurent was fond of interspersing his work with tributes to artists also including Mondrian, Braque and Van Gogh. 'My aim,' he said, 'was not to vie with the Masters, but at most to approach them and learn from their genius.'

palaisgalliera.paris.fr

 

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Vogue Paris March 1975
"Un nouveau style d'imprimés"
Featuring: Yves Saint Laurent & Loulou de la Falaise
Photographer: Uli Rose
Hair: Tony
Makeup: Tyen



ciaovogue.blogspot.com

 

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New York Magazine - September 17, 1973
"Back to Class with St. Laurent" by James Brady
Featuring: Yves Saint Laurent
Photographer: Mark Riboud



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