STYLE APPRECIATION: YVES SAINT LAURENT

“Fashion fades, style is eternal” Yves Saint Laurent once proclaimed, and it seems that the designer was a man of his own word.

Although Saint Laurent was proclaimed for modernizing the way that women dress, the choices he made – both personal and professional – were always dictated by smooth style, rather than fashion. Collections throughout the designer’s career were always focused on the simplicity of style rather than the fashions of the time. “I wanted women to have the same basic wardrobe as a man. Blazer, trousers, and suit. They’re so functional,” he once said, and that definitely was the case via his designs of the safari jacket and the tuxedo. This simplicity of style was also showcased via one of his most outstanding contributions to cinema, Luis Buñuel’s 1967 film Belle de Jour. Dressing star Catherine Deneuve in the simple yet iconic black vinyl raincoat shows how one piece of clothing can go a long way.

Described by legendary Harpers Bazaar & Vogue editor Diana Vreeland as “a thin, thin tall boy in a thin suit,” Saint Laurent emulated his collection pieces with his own personal wardrobe. Taking cues from his collections he was never seen without wearing a blazer, trousers, or suit. Saint Laurent was a master of his own style who took advantage of his own designs with slim-cut fits which represented the fruits of his creations made to dress and modernise the women form. A safari jacket with matching pants could be seen on the designer in the day, and during the evening his donned his own iconic creation – the Le Smoking suit. While also wearing his own stylish staples, Saint Laurent made a point to always add to his looks – including paisley prints which helped compliment the subtleness of his outfits. And let’s not forget about his thick-rimmed spectacles.

Forever immortalized in collections, even after the designers that took over the helm of Saint Laurent, including Stefano Pilati, Hedi Slimane, and currently Anthony Vaccarello, Yves Saint Laurent was the definition of a gentleman with class and elegance which was presented through his own uniform. Since his passing, each of the designers has brought their own unique twist and edge to the brand, though Saint Laurent has managed to keep to its creators’ mantra to dress – fashion really does fade, and style is forever eternal.

Image by Marien Brandon