Postcard Wednesday- Musee Yves Saint Laurent, Paris

The Musee Yves Saint Laurent Paris exhibits the couturier’s body of work on the legendary premises of his former haute couture house at 5 Avenue Marceau.

At the time of my visit last November the Musee was exhibiting a series of the couturier’s fashion designs

inspired by China, India and Japan.

The exhibition was themed in four sections- Imperial China, Floral China, India and Japan.

As you can imagine for Haute Couture pieces each item was absolutely exquisite both in styling and fabric.

 

 

 

Yves Saint Laurent visited China late in his life , for the launch of an exhibition dedicated to his work in Bejing in 1985. He cultivated his understanding of China and her culture through books, the cinema and theatre and the objects he collected. His Autumn_Winter 1977 collection referenced his interest.

 

India was a major source of inspiration for YSL . As early as 1962 he was reinterpreting clothing from the imperial wardrobe through a personal and feminine take on the traditional Indian coat.

In 1969 he created a Westernized version of the pee jamah . Later he presented several draped dresses based on the sari.

He described Japan , which he visited in 1963, as a wedding of the past and present. Fascinated by the subtle beauty of the traditional kimono , he explored this garment in his Autumn-Winter 1994 collection.

The studio where the magic happened , including the famous safari jacket and the inspiration board behind the designer’s desk.