MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL

RIVE

GAUCHE

On January 7, 2002 the French Couturier Yves Saint Laurent announced his retirement in Paris and his haute Couture house at 5 Marceau Avenue has since closed.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I have invited you today with a great deal of emotion to make an announcement concerning my personal life and my work. I was lucky to become Christian Dior’s assistant when I was 18 to succeed him at the age of 21 and to meet with success as my first collection in 1958, almost 44 years ago. Since then I have dedicated my life to mywork.

Forgive me for being in vain. For a long time I have believed that fashion was not only made to dress up women but also to reassure them, give them confidence and allow them to be themselves. I am proud that women all over the world wear pant suits, jumpsuits, peacoats, tuxedos and trenchcoats. I tell myself that I have created the contemporary woman’s wardrobe , that I have contributed to changing an era.

Yet today I’ve chosen to bid farewell to this career that I loved so dearly.

Yves mathew saint laurent

Yves, …

You were so young, so shy, so handsome, so luminous.

I hadn’t met you yet, and you fought your fiFIrst battle alone .

An art collection is a moment in one’s life and today I am selling our collection. We bought many objects in Paris because we chose them, observed them , loved them as a pair.

Now that I am alone and you are gone I can’t stand seeing them.

This auction is taking up all my time. I keep answering the same questions. “ How did you build this collection ?”

“Which was his favorite painting ? And yours ? I repeat the same answers” You loved beauty, Yves.

We do not know where taste comes from, or instinct. No one can teach you. Wherever we come from, we are born alone with it.

- pierre berge

October 24 , 1957

november 15 , 1957 the press meet

yves, they are waiting for you.....

with the death of christian dior, haute couture loses a pioneer. HIS name meant prestige. even princesses accepted his laws. his life was devoted to that manifestation of human genius ephemeral, fugitive , yet long lasting. which is called fashion....

The company’s future will proceed with the staff that christian dior himself engaged... the studio will be run by Mrs.raymonde zehnacker the salons will be managed by Yvonne de Peyerimhoff and annie-marie munoz will take over the ateliers the artistic direction will be confided to yves mathieu saint laurent, christian dior’s assistant

JANUARY 30, 1958

THE FIRST COLLECTION & FIRST SUCCESS

MR. SAINT LAURENT, YOU DONT’T FEEL TOO YOUNG TO LEAD FRANCE’S GREATEST FASHION HOUSE?

I DON’T KNOW YET !

I’LL DO MY BEST OF COURSE. I’LL LOCK MYSELF IN MY ROOM DAY AND MNIGHT IN ORDER TO DRAW...

I CANNOT SAY EVERYTHING I FEEL SADNESS, ANXIETY, JOY TOO AND PRIDE. FEAR OF NOT SUCCEEDING AS WELL. BUT I’LL DO MY BEST AND RELENTLESSLY. AND THAT I CAN SWEAR TO YOU !

BACK THEN, I KNEW NOTHING OF FASHION I BELIVED ONLY IN THE MAJOR ARTS. LITERATURE, PAINTING AND A PAINTER...

.....

I WANTED TO BRING YVES MATHIEU SAINT LAURENT. BUT THE SUBLIME CHILD IS BUSY. BERNARD IS HIS FAVOURITE PAINTER. I’LL ORGANIZE A DINNER, HE IS SUCH A HUGE FAN OF THE PAINTER BUT HE IS VERY SHY.

NUMBER - 32

For his first collection, Yves Saint Laurent set himself apart from the master. Instead of Dior’s signature cinched waist, he created a more fluid silhouette under which the body disappeared. The Trapeze line was born.

HELLO VICTOIRE !

NUMBER 42

VERY NICE. NOW IT FALLS WELL. WE’LL CAL IT BOBBY !

THANK YOU MISS.

ARE YOU SURE, NAMING THEM AFTER DOGS, WONT IRK PEOPLE?

NOT AT ALL..

I GREW UP WITH DOGS ! I LOVE THEM !

THEY ARE A PART OF MY LIFE NOW

WE’LL CALL IT VALENTINE. LIKE ZIZI JAINEMAIRE’S DAUGHTER. VERY YOUTHFUL, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, TANGY. I LIKE IT A LOT THANK YOU, VICTOIRE !

WE NEED TO TALK SIR ! ABOUT THE SEATING ARRANEGEMNT. NOT RUFFLING THEIR FEATHERS REQUIRES DIPLOMACY. NOT EVERYONE CAN SIT UPFRONT..

HE’S SO GOOD LOOKING !!

FORGET IT ! HE ONLY LIKE’S GUYS..FORTUNATELY !

OR WE’D ALL BE FIGHTING FOR HIM.

MS. YVONNE YOU KNOW THAT BETTER .

I CANNOT HANDLE THIS !

MR. DIOR’S INSTRUCTIONS WERE...

I AM NOT MR. DIOR !! .....

TO BE CONTINUED.....