A complete Yves Saint Laurent

By

Sampson I.M Onwuka



Balance is the muse of Art; distinction the muse of fashion.

'A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds' a saying attributed Ralph Waldo Emerson.

We are at the turn of the 70's and perhaps in the 80's, we are in Paris and the City is divided by two Champions, Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld.

Historically speaking, these two men who will dominate fashion in Paris met for the first time in 1954 at a Wool Secretariat Competition in Paris, where in according to the biographer of Yves Saint Laurent - Alice Rawsthorn, that Saint Laurent won four of the seven awards, Lagarfeld one and the rest shared among the compeers, including a certain Fernando. 

Of Course the detailed story of the originality of Saint Laurent from stables of Christian Dior was his acceptance at the Fashion Show inn 1957 with a unique Arabia outfit showing elements of modernity. The problems that arose of this early break with tradition was complicated by his drafting into the French Army, his return exorcised the images of terror, attempts at suppressing the variety of shifted emotions lead his and friend to founder a new company sometime later. 

Disabuse your mind about the models paid in trade, these men paid in money and where not the only ones. A complete Yves Saint Laurent is not a show or show room, it is impressions from the art running the corridors of public perception through the decades.

Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent would divide and conquer Europe with best of French dresses, especially for men where perhaps Saint Laurent stood a bit pronounced due to popularity and not the art.

A classic suit from Yves does not diminish with age, we are therefore not bereft of meaning in suggesting that its ages with age, does not suggest that he is any better than Lagerfeld.

Obviously, at this stage, in men's fashion that is, there is hardly any names that would not include Armani or Versace, then we can speak of Lagerfeld both in person and in ideas. We can also speak of Yves Saint Laurent.

It is not the balance that we speak mainly - without a sense of proportion these men would not enter the industries - but also the triumphs of their ideas.







This picture above I was able to locate as one those taken at Rive Gauche's London opening in 1969; showing from left Betty Cartroux, Yves and Loulou De la Falaise, all in YSL Safari suits at the Rive Gauche showing elements of the enduring 60's which was grinding to an end. But the Safari suits will lead a new demanding peering in several parts of world. This does not mean that he and his group revived the suit manor, but it is a celebration of lasting impressions of popularity that easily divided the waters for Yves Saint Laurent when he introduced 'Opium' - perfume - in 1977. 

If there are books that details on this life of the Yves which his suits and many female dresses and leather innovation could detail out, it is Alice Rawthorne 1998 biogrpahy ; Yves Saint Laurent. 

We can help but be moved but for some people is a enigma and a presence in Paris and in fashion, but must throw aside a short and long life distributed between the tigers of public critic and the eagles of merit, that his, could not have held anymore meaning than those who lived through 60's reliquary culture and counter culture and independence such as Andy Warhol, Rudolf Nuheyer, and to extent Karl Lagarfeld saving for what it means for artists, models and fashion experts, that like their fashion or any attire and frontier, that they are revealed, rise, peak, decline and most of them if not shouted on, enter the oblivion of fashion.

It will not enhance anymore than necessary material out the statement that this bliss fated to teh greater minds of their eras, is not incompressible, if it does, there are modicum of rewards which from the words of Lagarfeld, can be vitiated as fashion when people are buying it. 
 
The left and right of general everyday running of the company, and the revival of the district which plates Rive Gauche which personally cost Saint Laurent some percentage of his personal income, may or may not sate in the traditions of Paul Pionet or Coco Chanel, or Jean Patou, it leads to where between Paris and its influences and the joy and responsibilities of making other people happy by the way they look.   

But his company and the industrial affiliate do not complain, or do wait for appreciation or were they necessarily compensated for his patronizing. With new and newer eagles in the market place, can Paris buckle its belt under the set of new challenges.

But then these names who will dominate American fashion landscape will lead the way to other areas of import in the wholesale business including the block by block stock and chain operation of Federal Chartered stores.

We need to add that 70's and 80's until fairly recently, may have been dominated by Italians, in fact the 80's may be called Italian fashion decade since all of these later known starling; Fendi, Armani, Albini, Bisile, Carniti, Ferragamo, Ferre, Missoni, Versace, including Haute stylists, Balenciaga, approached a meteoric in the 80's and 90's.

Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, will be names that will re-invent themselves in these decades and also in America. But the French were not lacking, especially in their ability to capture the vivid images of the public and enhance the future appetite of those who seek interest in the industries. The choice of materials begin to make the difference and those with a health of experience can separate the icons from the colors reaching the fabrics.   

For me especially, it is Yves Saint Laurent that we can begin to speak of. It is true that distinction separate the designers but what endures is purpose and elegance its attitude ameliorated from the piece, the rendition.


For all we can say about these artist in that line of business and the models that take after them is that choice of apparel and execution of any cloth is a way forward in the business but the highest return of investment come from the handbags, perfume, candles and other fashion extra that compliment the attire.

A picture of a Yves Saint Laurent in picture is not defective on how the market explores its talent and originality in breaking new grounds for the Men's cloth.....