Yves Saint Laurent & the Quest for Elegance

Yves Saint Laurent, the man who adored the female form more than anything else, dedicated his life to designing clothes, accessories, and even perfumes meant to not only accentuate the elegance of women's physicality, but to freely express the natural beauty of what it means to be blessed with a human body. His designs were seen as influential even in his youth, becoming the Chief Designer at Dior at only 21 years old. As his career continued, so did his desire to explore and create.

I personally believe that elegance comes in the appreciation and practice of style over fashion. This means that in order to be yourself, you can look the part, and be comfortable while doing so. There should be no effort in the personal appeal of style, but rather an excitement in trying new things, and finally discovering who you are and how to outwardly express it. YSL was a practitioner of style yet destined to be a creator of fashion, unbeknownst to him. Like any designer who loves beauty and uniqueness, the ingenious designs reached the platforms of celebrities, models, and self-made fashionistas, staking their claim only in the cost of their wardrobe. 

This is the unfortunate curse of the passionate designer or true stylist. Creating looks that will appeal to the glorious human form is one thing; however, it is usually not the body it appeals to more than the mind. People rarely purchase something simply because they are in love with it. You would never find the perfect dress only to frame it on the wall. People are in love with the way an item makes them feel when they imagine themselves in it. Actually being in any article of clothing can be a very different sensation than conceptualizing it, but that is never present on the catwalk of our minds. We simply know it is fabulous and desired, and to be associated with it will make us fabulous too. 

Yves did not like to travel, though you would assume he had been around the world many times based on the variations of designs he crafted over the years. Saint Laurent lifted inspiration from Morocco, Spain, Japan, Russia and China, amongst many other places. When asked about his affection for these particular designs, he said that the notions arose from his imagination upon reading books. Down to the veins, the man was an artist, needing nothing "real" to take from; except of course, the skin of a woman.

It is known through interviews and writings by Yves that he was not an altogether happy man. He struggled with depression throughout his career, which could have been a symptom of being misunderstood. At a recent exhibit I had the honor of touring, a vastly huge collection of Saint Laurent's designs were openly displayed, like shining bones of some wild vibrant animal. Each served as clothing for small framed simple mannequins.

The one wearing the featured dress on the program cover was in a room that appeared to be a party scene- several socializing mannequins stood together in small clusters beneath a starry ceiling of crystal chandeliers. Canned music pumped out the sounds of people talking in the distance mingled with lively ball music. The environment could have been anything from a French socialites supper party to an Academy Award pre-show. It was easy to miss the one wearing the featured dress, stunningly decorated with a very low cut back, and completed with a humongous pink bow.


The party appeared to be bustling, but the one mannequin wearing this particular piece stood on the sidelines, faced away and holding a single hand out and down, just barely escaping the scene so full of commotion. Perhaps this is the way Yves felt finding himself in a room of people excited about his art, only to misunderstand his purpose entirely. Yves Saint Laurent was and still remains part of the fashion culture as well as standing outside of it, representing something individual, magical, loud and classic all at once.


 - Check here to find out more about the Denver Art Museums exhibition of Yves Saint Laurent -
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