A Moroccan Love Affair, Yves Saint Laurents’s Favorite Place
During a period where liberation was the norm, YSL brought freedom and elegance to women through fashion.
Courtesy of L’Officiel
If you’ve read some of our previous articles you’ll know that fashion truly is powerful and a major contributor to culture. So when Le Smoking debuted in 1966 fashion became a more important discurse in feminist waves by transforming the way women dressed affecting directly the way they were seen.
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Today, when talking about fashion trends, pants are always mentioned whether they be formal, skinny or cargo as part of a women's essential wardrobe must have. This wasn’t always the case, Saint Laurent was responsible for putting formal lifestyle and conservatism aside by challenging absurd gender regulations represented by fashion.
Bianca Jagger was the epitome of what a modern woman could look like, suits were immediately associated with her and she helped cement suits as a timeless design.
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Continuing with the fashion is culture theme, Yves gave the world one of the most famous and enduring collaborations, his 1965 Mondrian collection showcased how art and couture are both based on architecture, form and design.
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The Algerian designer who at just 21 years old became the head designer of the House of Dior started to pave his way into becoming one of the 20th century most influential designers. He was a revolutionary, a key component in every designer's DNA, if your art is not expressing something worthy then why even do it.
He championed in liberating women through “masculine” pieces, exposing models nipples behind his organza blouses, integrating non-white models into fashion runways even Naomi Campbell acknowledge how he was responsible for helping her land the cover of French Vogue.
Where did all this revolutionary inspiration come from? An African city, more specifically Morocco.
In 1966, YSL co-founders Yves and Berge, travelled to Morocco and fell in love with the country. They acquired their first home, named Dar el-Hanch, the place where Yves would reconnect with his African roots which would serve as an endless source of inspiration. A love affair that would later turn into the musee YVES SAINT LAURENT.
Now, almost 56 years later, YSL returns to the desert.
The spring/summer 2023 men’s collection honored Yves' love of Marrakech as it was set in the Agafay desert. Vaccarello, YSLs’ current creative director, partnered with stage designer Es Devlin to create an illuminating ring which rose from a pool of water and casted a breathtaking glow on the runway.
A runway placed against the intensity of the desert dunes, a modern epic art installation would out shadow anything else in sight, but not Vaccarello’s collection.
Not only did YSL return physically to its home, it also paid homage to Yves’ original designs. A collection that alludes to a modern take on vintage YSL, showing models in boxy shouldered blazers, high-waisted and wide-legged trousers, leather and see-through organza blouses. Maintaining a neutral palette the bare chested shirts and loose fit painted a picture of pure sophistication, freedom, elegance and the perfect demonstration on how to do genderless.
The combination of fashion and modern installation art is a reflection of how Yves’ used to work alongside art to create impactful designs.
Es Devlin is a British award winning stage designer. She brings together high end technology to create contemporary spaces that surpass the imagination. Having created stages for Beyoncé, Kanye, Lady Gaga, U2, Louis Vuitton, and Adele.
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The show kicked off at sun set, the sky was semi-cloudy, and blowing and then the night set in and Devlin’s giant light ring emerged from the water. An other-wordly ring that perfectly encapsulates how fashion connects with art, technology and shows a modern version of Yves’ creative legacy.
Vaccarello was inspired by The Sheltering Sky, passages that reminisce about how life isn’t composed of limitless chances and moments. The lights, sand, water and wind presented in the art installation allowed the viewer to step into a world where the boundaries between gendered dressing are non-existent.
Courtesy of WWD