Au Revoir, Yves!

The fashion world laid to rest one of its 20th century icons on June 5th at the Église Saint-Roch. Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent catapulted to fame in 1957, upon the surprise death of his mentor and employer, Christian Dior. Thrust to the head of the House of Dior, Saint Laurent thrilled the fashion world in 1958 with his "Trapeze" collection, which was an unmitigated sensation.

What's so striking to this fashionista, though, is the persistence of that silhouette in modern fashion, even at Yves Saint Laurent today, under the helm of Stefano Pilati. At far right is Saint Laurent himself, preparing for that 1958 collection. At near right is a coat designed for the 2008 Fall RTW YSL collection. Notice anything similar?

Sure, the modern version is cinched with a wide belt and features an au currant turn-down funnel collar, but the resemblance is still quite striking. Note how both ensembles feature only a single color. Such monochromatic dressing was always a signal feature of YSL sophistication. A full skirt and flattering one-color dressing? This look might be a girl-with-hips' best friend!

For Saint Laurent to present such a seminal show his first time out was truly phenomenal, and a testament to his ability to understand a woman's body. After all, his mentor had created the "New Look" in 1947, perhaps the fashion moment in all of the 20th century. To create his own identity out of that tradition, Saint Laurent had to be constantly innovative and forward thinking.

His collections based on artists' work - Mondrian, Picasso, and Matisse to name a few - created a symbiosis between the art and fashion world that had previously gone unexplored. These artistic concepts persist even today in the form of the Yves Saint Laurent website, where a series of black and white squares filled in with primary colors evoke no less than "Composition A."

And his 1968 collections featuring pants - pants! - for women were considered scandalous at the time. He even designed a tuxedo collection for women, replete with a smoking jacket, allowing them to look as calculatedly insouciant as a man while dragging on a cigarette, a favorite pastime of Saint Laurent himself.

Eventually the brand spread - like all good lifestyle ones do - into handbags, accessories, even make-up and jewelry. But Saint Laurent's vision maintains a constant presence. His 1976 "Rich Peasant" (ah, the days before political correctness) collection set of shockwaves through the fashion industry yet again, so much so that his Paris show was re-stages in New York!

Pilati channels this looks with the Fall 2008 RTW velvet coat layered over a chocolate brown dress (notice how the sleeves hook over ones thumbs) and opaque hosiery. Sure, times have changed - the fur hat is gone, as it the dirndl skirt - but the luxurious simplicity of the original is still there. As is, I'm sure, the concomitant price tag!

The DCGF has not yet been fortunate to purchase anything from YSL, although I see several blazers and suits from the 80s in Goodwill stores. They might be a bit dated now - big shoulder pads, double-breasted front - but the elegance and striking color of the original Saint Laurent is still there. Who knows what the future of the brand holds: household wares? more women's tuxedos? another new silhouette? I can't wait to see. And I'm sure a bit of Saint Laurent will be there in all of it...

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