Yves Saint Laurent – An Extraordinary Haute Couture Life
June 8th 2008 02:22
Farewell Yves Saint Laurent
“Fashions fade, style is eternal.” – Yves Saint Laurent
Peerless Fashion and Design connoisseur Yves Saint Laurent departed the catwalk of life this week from paris. The industry, those that wore his clothes and admirers are still coming to grips with the news of his passing at 71 years old.
“Haute couture implies precision in lines.. Haute couture consists of secrets whispered from generation to generation, ... If, in ready-to-wear, a garment is manufactured according to standard sizes, the haute couture garment adapts to any imperfection in order to eliminate it.” – Yves Saint Laurent
Instrumental in shaping 20th century fashion, awarded with every accolade that can be awarded in his field and becoming a influence n the way we look at the world and dress in it.
“I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity - all I hope for in my clothes.” – Yves saint Laurent
Born in Algeria in 1936 Laurent inherited his eye from his mother and at 17 years of age was lucky enough to start his career under the tutorage of Christian Dior. Combine that with his fragrance lessons from Lady Chanel and you have the foundation for exquisite taste.
Conscripted into the military Yves ended up in a mental institution as a result of bullying from fellow soldiers.
He was a fragile man whose gift was to be able to project beauty onto others. The famed YSL brand came to be in 1962 and ever since he has captured the essence of individual style and eclectic elegance.
“Isn't elegance forgetting what one is wearing?” –Yves Saint Laurent
An apt way to end this brief salute is the Times Online.co.uk list of “Seven looks that epitomise the man’s genius” well worth reading, my top 3 personal highlights are:
Belle de Jour (1967)
Safari (1966)
Le Smoking (1966)
Yves Saint Lauren R.I.P.
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