YSL, LE VISIONNAIRE, in Brussels

Brussels exhibits YSL for the first time. The ING space, in cooperation with the Fondation Pierre Bergé-YSL, hosts the event and becomes a veritable showcase for sumptuous and interesting pieces. Fascinating and unmissable, the exhibition offers a glimpse of yet more facets of the designer.
Yves St Laurent Visionnaire, highlights his acuity for innovation, his boldness in redefining a different kind of fashion, that of active, enterprising women. Piece by piece, the codes of the ST Laurent House are revealed. Step by step, we evoke the explosion of colors, his ability to draw an era, the alchemy of style that characterizes his style, etc.
Neophytes and enthusiasts alike will not be disappointed. They will delight in the never-before-seen pieces and the approach that encourages them to discover an atypical universe, that of a talented creator.
Iconic creations, such as the 1965 Bride, are always captivating.

However, below them, the Papers Dolls, presented for the first time, could almost steal the public’s attention.

These incredible documents provide an insight into his singular creative path and precocious vocation. As a teenager, Yves St Laurent was introduced to Haute-Couture through paper dolls. Inspired by a game of cut-outs, he staged his first fashion show, for Yves Mathieu St Laurent. The models were Bettina, Vera and a number of famous young women. Appropriating his mother’s women’s magazines, he cut away the faces and gave these fashion icons a paper body, ready to receive the outfits he had invented. Between 1953 and 1954, he ‘reinvented’ 11 dolls, creating over 400 outfits and 100 accessories. It’s worth noting that some of the dresses designed during this period were reinterpreted and reappear in tangible form in the couturier’s creations. For example, an evening gown in the Haute-Couture Collection, Spring-Summer 2001, appears to refer precisely to one by Véra. The strapless white organza dress features the same pineapple motif. Almost 50 years separate them. Fifty years in which Yves St Laurent has given shape to his dream.

Interview with F. MÜLLER, exhibition curator

1- After Paris and the YSL Exhibition at the Petit Palais, you are curating the Exhibition, Yves St Laurent Visionnaire, at Espace ING Brussels. When did you ‘discover’ Mr St Laurent’s work? As a child?

Indeed, I discovered him as a child. In a way, Yves St Laurent was my first image of fashion. On holiday with one of my aunts, a very elegant woman with a fondness for the St Laurent style, I was somewhat ‘initiated’. She particularly liked the dresses made with Claude Lalanne, in chiffon, revealing the woman’s body like a sculpture. (Haute Couture Autumn 1969 Collection model).

2- How did this project come about? Some people told me that Espace ING had contacted Mr Bergé back in 2008 with a view to presenting Mr St Laurent’s work. Apparently, a first exhibition was planned at the time. It never took place. Why did you choose 2013, have certain parameters changed?
2013 fits perfectly with the respective calendars of Espace ING and the Fondation. After YSL’s death, the focus was on the Petit Palais Exhibition. The latter paid tribute to the designer and was of a large format. In the latter respect, it could not have fitted in with the ING space.
YSL Visionnaire was conceived in a radically different way. It also met ING’s expectations.

3- Each St Laurent exhibition is unique. Each one is of particular interest. In Paris, you presented previously unseen items; in Brussels, 80% of the pieces are new. They are unveiled to the public, in particular these beautiful Paper Dolls. Pierre Bergé has succeeded in adding yet another dimension to this designer’s work. These elements make him even more present and unavoidable in Haute-Couture and Prêt-à-porter.
What are your impressions of these Paper Dolls?

La Maison de Papier, or¨Paper Dolls, is out of its boxes for the first time. When Pierre Bergé carried out work to fit out the conservation space, new pieces were discovered. The Paper Dolls were among them.

Many of these never-before-seen pieces were presented in Brussels. For example, the contents of the L’Alchimie du style room are also on show for the first time. The mannequins of a number of prestigious customers are on show. This is unusual. Here, their names have been hidden from public view. After all, a couturier is bound to secrecy. Under no circumstances must he reveal his customers’ measurements.
Only one customer agreed to reveal her identity, Zizi Jeanmaire. She had a very special relationship with YSL.

In the same way, wooden hat shapes appeared in the public eye for the first time.

The Paper Dolls show just how atypical a teenager YSL was. He had a vision of his own destiny. This vision enabled him to overcome his shyness. His determination provoked encounters that influenced his destiny. He was noticed by Michel de Brunhoff, director of Vogue Paris and then Dior. In these paper dresses, I see maturity. He was already a professional. He had meticulously selected the models, the make-up artist, the suppliers and so on. It was a kind of dress rehearsal for what he was to become.

4- The St Laurent fund is undoubtedly immense. There’s no doubt that Pierre Bergé knows how to create a surprise. Do you think he’s capable of producing other incredible documents?

The presentation of these new documents was not originally orchestrated by Pierre Bergé. He undoubtedly chose the retrospective at the Petit Palais, the sale of objects from their apartment and those from the Château Gabriel, to be associated with this film, soon to hit the screens, evoking YSL.
The circumstances, the discovery of these new elements, made it possible to highlight them. Depending on the purpose of an exhibition, it’s more obvious to select one piece or another. The Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves St Laurent has an impressive collection. From there, selections are made.
Personally, I wanted to do something different here. The theme had to be different, as did the theme and the pieces presented.

5- The layout and articulation of themes is unusual. La modernité des années 60/70, La Valise d’un voyage en YSL, Dessiner l’époque, L’éclatement des couleurs… etc. Is this a way of praising Mr St Laurent’s talent for Haute-Couture but also for Prêt-à-porter? A way of paying tribute to the creative genius himself?

Indeed, that’s how it is. One of the aims of the exhibition is to showcase talent, to make its obviousness perceptible. A talent that is perceptible not only in Haute-Couture, but also in PAP. He has had a tremendous impact on the latter. He democratized elegance and Couture. Other exhibitions have already demonstrated this. His work at YSL Rive Gauche was more readily ‘accepted’. The 1966 tuxedo, the 1971 collection inspired by the 40s, worked very well in Rive Gauche. In Haute-Couture, on the other hand, customers were sometimes critical.

6- What do you remember most about the exhibition?

I’m thinking of the moment when we watched the Paper Dolls with Pierre Bergé. It was a great moment, very moving for him. He’s a very self-controlled person, but there …

For me, selecting the jewels was a thrill. I had the feeling of discovering an Ali Baba’s cave, so fantastic was the profusion. It was very exciting and fun to select the jewels, to compose the heart to obtain something radiant with gold, silver and in the center the lucky jewel used in all the fashion shows.
Many craftsmen made them. The jewels are a trace of the creative abundance.
A lot of resources went into this creation. Loulou de la Falaise contacted numerous artists and craftsmen, depending on the objects to be made. There was a real connivance between YSL and these people. For him, they wanted to surpass themselves.

Many of the materials used here were not originally associated with jewelry. I’m thinking, for example, of trimmings. The same goes for terracotta. By integrating them into his creations, YSL has transgressed existing codes.

YSL entered the field of Art. He sacralized fashion from another angle. He turned it into a form of applied art, worthy of contemplation. Pierre Bergé played a decisive role in this innovative approach.

7- What words would you use to describe Yves St Laurent’s impact on fashion, in his day and still today?

It could be summed up in a formula. His vision of fashion was more important than the notion of passing seasons. First and foremost, it was about attitude and style. Clothes and accessories served every woman’s purpose. They helped her in her daily life, but also on special occasions.
Moreover, the notion of constraint was non-existent. YSL wanted a garment that felt good on the body, and didn’t conflict with it. For him, this condition allowed the garment to reveal a woman’s beauty. At the time, other couturiers didn’t have this kind of consideration.

8- This first exhibition in Brussels is a great success. It gives the public the best possible insight into the work of a creative genius. Would you like to see it presented elsewhere in Belgium?

For an exhibition to “circulate”, institutions must spot it and want to show it elsewhere. This was the case for the Petit Palais exhibition. For the moment, no plans have been made for YSL Visionnaire, but perhaps…

The most important thing is this very beautiful gesture, this first exhibition in Brussels. For me, working on this project was extremely important because Belgium is a great fashion country. For 25 years, Belgian designers have been influencing fashion on an international level.

9 -YSL has worked extensively for Haute-Couture, and also to establish a parallel between fashion and art. This is very much in evidence in the L’Art en Mouvement exhibition. This Fashion/Art approach is more accepted in Brussels, Belgium, than in France. What do you think?

In Belgium, fashion is more conceptual. This approach is natural, more obvious.

10- Which pieces do you like best in this exhibition?

I like the purest models, a jumpsuit for example. I wore one for the vernissage because the proportions are so perfect.

I also like spectacular effects. I’m thinking of the dress on display in the main hall. It’s very interesting, with a big slit neckline in the back and a fox in fur delicately resting its muzzle on the shoulder.

The 1971 Greek dress, never exhibited before, is a beautiful piece. Its dominant blue color captures the eye.
I’m thinking of one or two others… In the end, the jumpsuit wins.

11- Heidi Slimane now designs Yves St Laurent’s women’s ready-to-wear line. He once worked for him on men’s ready-to-wear. Do you think he respects the house’s codes?

H. Slimane is deeply imbued with the codes and history of YSL in particular. He came to work at the Foundation. He gives his own reading of it, delivering St Laurent through the prism of his own universe. He creates a dynamic and revives the legacy. YSL left a legacy of fundamental ideas that can be worked on indefinitely. Tuxedos can be reinterpreted. Slimane has created new cuts, he has his own vocabulary.

12- YSL has a strong vintage presence. In Brussels, there are several boutiques where enthusiasts can find what they’re looking for. How would you interpret this?

This is the proof of its success. It has been enormously loved and worn.

Yves St Laurent Visionnaire,
31.01/ 05.05 2013
Espace culturel ING,
6 Place Royale,
B-1000 Bruxelles

To complete their introduction to Yves St Laurent, the public can venture into a number of Brussels boutiques. In some, they’ll find vintage pieces by the designer, and in others, models inspired by his creations.

THE VINTAGE
Isabelle Bajart

Isabelle references many designers. To date, she holds a few Yves St Laurent pieces. In particular, a quilted trench coat and a bright red pencil skirt.

Gabriele

The delicate boutique seems designed to perfect the elegance not only of women, but also of men.
You’ll find some very fine pieces here. Sumptuous blue silk satin coats adorned with vision, silk squares, offer a diverse choice for ladies. And gentlemen will also be delighted. Splendid silk ties will enhance their outfits.

NOW
Hallelujah
A beautiful boutique dedicated to Belgian designers with an atypical approach. Created by Sonya Noel, it features ‘green’ designers and those with innovative business concepts.

Sofie d’Hoore presents a khaki jacket inspired by the spirit of YSL.Collection Spring/Summer 2013

www.bruxelles.be

www.thalys.com

Photo credits Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves St Laurent

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