1.INTRODUCTION
On the occasion of the οpening of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent and the publicizing of the Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture archive this October, it is only fair to dedicate this essay to one of the most controversial, most talented and innovative couturiers in the history of fashion, the man that as Pierre Bergé said: “[…]gave power to women.” (Another Magazine 2017) through his garments, through the identity of the style that he created; a style that is, still to this day, fresh, shocking, empowering and mesmerizing. Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent was born on the 1st of August in 1936, just a wear before legendary Elsa Schiaparelli show her groundbreaking ‘Autumn 1937’ Collection, in Oran, Algeria, to a prestigious and
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As Olivia Singer writes in her article for Another Magazine, “famously, and much to the derision of his contemporaries, it was Yves Saint Laurent who popularised the trouser suit for women”. (Another Magazine, 2017). It is true that a few and daring women, like actress Marlene Dietrich, did wear a man suit, but Saint Laurent went further than dressing a woman into a man’s attire; he created a whole look, an emancipating, audacious and bold equivalent to the little black dress that “was to become the rage in fashion and show business[…], as Marguerite Duras claimed ( Marguerite Duras, Yves Saint Laurent-Icons of Fashion, Icons of Photography, 2014), . ‘Le Smoking’ was not intended to mask the female figure and render a woman into a man; it was the ultimate feminine tool of emancipation, accentuating the sexuality and femininity of the “Femme selon Yves”; the Woman in the eyes of Yves. It is still one of the most celebrated look of power-dressing and has since been shown not only by other couture Houses, but also by High Street …show more content…
This particular design depicts the eccentricity and eye-catching flair, predominant in the eighties, but given through Yves’ own elegant and uncompromising view.
3. CONCLUSION
Yves Saint Laurent is indisputably one of the grand masters of fashion, a true couturier, a pioneer and a rebel. He created more than beautiful, articulated and fine garments; he reinvented the ‘woman’ as an archetype in fashion, he incorporated art in his design in a way that is vague if he was a designer or an artist in heart. He dedicated his whole life to the pursuit of the absolute inspiration, of true beauty and breaking the rules. Throughout his life, Yves Saint Laurent, was torn between the West and the East, prudence and recklessness, conservatism and innovation, but he was never unprogressive. His designs portray this conflict and perhaps this is what gives them an air of mystery, of unprecedented elegance and grit. As Duras says, “Yves Saint Laurent invents a reality and adds it to the other, the one he has not made. And he fuses all of this paradoxical harmony-often revolutionary, always dazzling.” His legacy is beyond of being a designer, a couturier; he is a reformer, a passionate rebel, whose progressive views expanded beyond making beautiful garments for people with expensive taste and status; beyond couture.
Clothing style is dictated by three particular interests. First is popular fashion, which was most influenced by either the church or the rulers, as styles were copied from the ruling class, and, as they grew more and more extreme, criticized by the ecclesiastical element. Second is commercial interests. The strong merchant class will always know how to push the richest and most expensive materials into the mode. And thirdly is personal artistic expression. Fashion is dictated by many factors such as geography, time, and social and ethical standards. But superseding these is the influence of strong personalities, the brave people who will don the unthinkable, and in doing so, create the latest trend. Personal expression and creativity will only be found in the bravest, and usuall...
Givenchy’s love for fashion grew when at the age of ten he attended the Pavillon d’ Elegance Paris Exposition. Once looking through Vogue magazine, he was inspired by Balenciaga men’s wear. He wanted to be a couturier and attended Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, to start a formal education in fashion. His designing inspirations came from Elsa Schiaparelli and Madam Gres’s work. His experience also came from working at the House of Piguet in Paris; this salon was known for its dramatic yet simple style and after, at the House of Lelong that was known for their high quality clothing. Those positions gave him knowledge on how to work with couture customers and gave him an opportunity to build strong relationships with them (Press, 2002).
Werle, Simone. Fashionista A Century of Style Icons. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1977. Print.
Coco Chanel, born Gabrielle Bonhuer Chanel, on August 19, 1883 in Saumur, France was an amazing woman who redefined fashion as we know it today. She was a clothing designer who revolutionized the fashion industry with her suits, little black dresses, and avant garde flare. Because of this quickly in her young life she became well know, and rose to be the fashion icon that she is today. From the timeless designs that are still popular to this day, and the sophisticated outfits that can be paired with great accessories Chanel has done it all. When it comes down to it though it was Coco Chanel’s philosophy that “luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it’s not luxury” that lead to her success. (“Coco Chanel”)
Graphic designer and typographer Stefan Sagmeister has always had a unique way of viewing the world, therefore has created designs that are both inventive and controversial. He is an Austrian designer, who works in New York but draws his design inspiration while traveling all over the world. While a sense of humor consistently appears in his designs as a frequent motif, Sagmeister is nonetheless very serious about his work. He has created projects in the most diverse and extreme of ways as a form of expression. This report will analyse three of Stefan’s most influential designs, including the motives and messages behind each piece.
In Deauville, she introduced casual knit dresses which was shockingly different from what others were creating and wearing. “She introduced relaxed dressing expressing the aspirations of the 20th century woman, replacing impractical clothing with functional styling.” (Martin 80). Her designs stressed simplicity and comfort and revolutionized the fashion industry. Within five years of her original use of jersey fabric to create a poor girl look, had attracted the attention of influential wealthy women seeking relief from the prevalent corseted style. In 1954, Chanel presented her new collection of the signature suit. The Chanel suit is a standard garment in modern fashion. “The key to her design philosophy was construction, producing traditional classics outliving each season’s new fashion trends and apparel.” (Martin
Morris, BM, 1996. Valentino: (The Universe of Fashion) . 1st ed. England: London : Thames & Hudson
For Mr. Lauren, the starting point is always his concern for quality and attention to detail, while the creative drama comes from his own romantic sense of elegance and reverence for authencity. Always true to his own purely American vision of fashion, his products are nearly as diverse as the country that inspires them. He designs a wide range of products, including menswear, womenswear, boyswear, girlswear, home furnishing, eyewear, scarves, shoes, hosiery, fragrances, handbag, luggage and leather goods. And the stores that carry his products are located across the United States and around the world.
From West Village and Fifth Avenue to Japan and Paris, Marc Jacobs offers his highly successful diffusion line, Marc by Marc Jacobs. Marc by Marc Jacobs delivers young men and women fun, fresh, and affordable semi-luxury apparel and accessories, such as a ring with cat ears, a ladybug cotton tee, a metallic leather coat, or a mini satchel bag. The designs mix modern conceptualism with influences from past decades and ads feature off-the-wall fashion photography. Some merchandise is limited edition or are special collaborations with other designers or artists giving customers special one of a kind designs while donating a percentage of profit to numerous charities and organizations. Marc by Marc is able to reach consumers on most social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. Marc by Marc Jacobs’s brick and mortars, much like its website, are minimalist, contemporary, humorous, fresh and edgy with dominating hues of black, white, and blue.
The future of women’s fashion is uncertain—in that shock value is harder to come by with each passing year. There is a concept in fashion that nothing is new, everything has been done before. This theory is coming closer to obvious reality, as fashion shows of recent years have visual throwbacks as late as the Victorian era. Although the direction is not yet decided, it is almost definite that women will use fashion as an important tool for expression and freedom in the future.
“Elegance is not the prerogative of those who have just escaped from adolescence, but of those who have already taken possession of their future “(Elegance par. 1). Chanel was a woman who was always seen wearing her own unique fashion. She would never be seen wearing something society would see as something a normal woman would wear; this made her unforgettable (Charles-Roux 5-6). In the beginning, Chanel was only known for creating and designing hats, but she would soon be known for so much more (Charles-Roux 91). Because of Chanel’s new bold ideas, the women’s fashion industry has forever been changed (Charles-Roux 6).
This essay aims to analyse the key role that the surrealist movement has played on fashion and the fashion industry. Both from a historical point of view, as well as its continued impact on fashion today, as a source of inspiration for contemporary fashion designers.
Fashion plays an important role in the lives of billions all over the world; people, as part of a status craving society, turn to “fashion capitals” of the world for ways in which to dress and carry themselves. New York, Milan, and Paris are leaders among this fierce industry that the world lusts after. Fashion can speak volumes about ones personality, or also about the condition the world is in at the time. In France, fashion changed rapidly and feverously as the times changed.
Fashion has been around ever since ancient times, since the time of the Romans, it survived the world wars and is yet today a business with rapid changes. Fashion started off as an art form, a way for the riches to show their social status with unique and innovative designs that only they could afford. It was a way to separate the social classes of the society. In this paper I will include the creator of haute couture, and how the following designers developed couture, as well as having leading names in today’s ready-to-wear industry. The list is long, but I chose to focus on the three most important designers of the modern fashion industry.
Fashion takes on many different facets and concerns many subsets— a model sashaying down the runway in a gown encrusted in real gems, Lady Gaga’s infamous dress made of cuts of raw beef, a teenage girl obsessing over the season’s latest styles— it is all an expression of our minds and who we are or want to be, made tangible. It is a medium just like any other, for while artists wield brushes and paints, designers use thread and cloth to illustrate their vision. The artistry is none more so apparent than in the exclusive world of haute couture, a world of extravagance that caters to aesthetics, producing one-of-a-kind wearable masterpieces that are made to be admired rather than worn. It is without doubt, high fashion and its design is an art.