{"id":1218,"date":"2015-04-16T10:00:06","date_gmt":"2015-04-16T14:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/exhibitions.fitnyc.edu\/blog-ysl-halston\/?p=1218"},"modified":"2016-01-13T14:40:05","modified_gmt":"2016-01-13T19:40:05","slug":"yves-saint-laurent-chanel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exhibitions.fitnyc.edu\/blog-ysl-halston\/yves-saint-laurent-chanel\/","title":{"rendered":"Yves Saint Laurent + Chanel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today we bring you insight from co-curator Emma McClendon on Yves Saint Laurent’s inspiration from Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. For more information on the many inspirations of Yves Saint Laurent, check out the essays in the book Yves Saint Laurent + Halston: Fashioning the 70s<\/em><\/a>.\n<\/p>\n

____________________________<\/span><\/p>\n

Historical pastiche was a significant part of Yves Saint Laurent\u2019s design strategy throughout his career. It was especially important during the 1970s, when he was developing his unique voice, and the signature styles of earlier French couturiers became a crucial source of inspiration. These included Christian Dior\u2019s ultra-feminine silhouettes from the 1950s, as well as the hyper exoticism of Paul Poiret from the 1910s. But the couturier of greatest importance to Saint Laurent was Gabrielle \u201cCoco\u201d Chanel.\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Gabrielle

Gabrielle \u201cCoco\u201d Chanel, photographed by Horst P. Horst, 1937.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"Yves

Yves Saint Laurent, photographed by Jeanloup Sieff, 1971, via 74 Gazette<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Chanel affected not only Saint Laurent\u2019s aesthetic, but his entire approach to fashion. He felt by 1970 that Dior\u2019s tradition of unveiling a new silhouette with each collection was out of date. In Saint Laurent\u2019s own words: \u201cNow it is ridiculous to think that clothes must change, that hemlines must change, that women want pants this season and not the next.\u201d1<\/strong><\/span><\/sup><\/a> In contrast, Chanel\u2019s interest in creating a fashionable uniform or \u201cstyle\u201d inspired Saint Laurent to search for a \u201cuniform\u201d of his own. As reporters Claude de Leusse and Patricia McColl recounted in Women\u2019s Wear Daily<\/em> in 1970, \u201c[Saint Laurent] says he\u2019d be perfectly happy to see every woman in the world in the same dress. \u2018A uniform for day and a uniform for night.\u2019\u2026 It is in essence, the Chanel approach to fashion\u2026 Evolution rather than revolution.\u201d2<\/strong><\/span><\/sup><\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\"Jean-Luce

Jean-Luce Hure, photograph of Yves Saint Laurent and models wearing his designs in Paris that appeared on the front page of Women’s Wear Daily<\/span>, April 24, 1972.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In 1972, the picture above appeared on the front page of Women\u2019s Wear Daily<\/em>. It shows Saint Laurent strutting down the street surrounded by models in his latest designs. Underneath the photograph, de Leusse and McColl declared, \u201cYves St. Laurent continues the spirit of Coco Chanel. His clothes for the Rive Gauche fall\/winter collection are as relaxed and easy as Chanel\u2019s were. But the look is pure Yves.\u201d3<\/strong><\/span><\/sup><\/a>\n<\/p>\n

Saint Laurent\u2019s Chanel-inspired uniform developed into a vocabulary of essential garments that he proclaimed to be the new basics of the fashionable wardrobe. During the 1970s, this uniform of basics became the backbone of Rive Gauche (his ready-to-wear line and \u201claboratory\u201d for new designs). Once set, it allowed Saint Laurent to manipulate a broad range of motifs, materials, and inspirations within the same lexicon of style.\n<\/p>\n

\"(left)

(left) Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, sweater, camel wool and fur, 1973, France, 89.32.6, gift of Catherine Cahill;
(right) Yves Saint Laurent, ensemble, multi-color wool, silk, and fur, 1972, France, 95.58.1, gift of Judith Rudner Kessel.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In the exhibition Yves Saint Laurent + Halston: Fashioning the 70s<\/em>, Saint Laurent\u2019s indebtedness to Chanel is most apparent in the knit suits seen above. Their long knit sweaters, wool skirts, and silk blouses seem to fuse Chanel\u2019s iconic post-war suits with her 1920s chemise-silhouette ensembles (see below).\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Chanel,

Chanel, suit, red wool tweed and silk, 1959, 80.261.2, gift of Mrs. Walter Eytan<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"Paul

Paul Schutzer, photograph of models wearing Chanel suits featured in LIFE magazine, September 1961. Via Sage Collection<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Chanel,

Chanel, chemise-style day dress, blue silk crepe, 1926, 80.13.3, Gift of Mrs. Georges<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"Photograph

Photograph of models in Chanel\u2019s chemise-style suits, Paris, 1926.
 <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

This connection to Chanel is further emphasized in photographs of a model dressed in Saint Laurent from the August 1973 issue of Vogue<\/em> (below). Here, the same Rive Gauche, fur-trimmed sweater as the one on view in the exhibition at MFIT has been accessorized with a close-fitting, cloche-like hat (left). The model poses in profile, nonchalantly placing one hand on her hip.\n<\/p>\n

\"Helmut

Helmut Newton, photographs of a model wearing Yves Saint Laurent, Vogue<\/span>, August 1, 1973, Newton \/ Vogue<\/span>; \u00a9 Cond\u00e9 Nast<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

On the opposite page the same model appears in a similarly styled ensemble consisting of a long knit sweater worn over a high-neckline dress, punctuated by a bow at the base of the neck. The model\u2019s angular, cropped bob completes both looks, and seemingly transforms her into a clone of Chanel herself.<\/p>\n

\n
\"via

Gabrielle \u201cCoco\u201d Chanel, c.1969, via Marie Claire UK<\/span><\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"Gabrielle

Gabrielle Chanel in Biarritz, 1928. Photo by Roger Viollet, via Buro 24\/7<\/a>
 <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Beyond the examples discussed here, Chanel\u2019s influence on Saint Laurent can be felt throughout his work, from his le smoking<\/em> tuxedos to his exotic evening pajamas. Chanel\u2019s dedication to creating streamlined, androgynous, and modern garments for women with an active lifestyle inspired Saint Laurent to transform the fashionable wardrobe in the 1970s, and the effects of his developments can still be seen today.<\/p>\n

\n

1<\/a>. Yves Saint Laurent, quoted in Nina Hyde, \u201cSaint Laurent\u201d in The Washington Post<\/em>, November 26, 1972, p.F1.<\/p>\n

2<\/a>. WWD<\/em>, by Claude de Leusse and Patricia McColl, \u201cOn the Yves of Evolution\u201d in Women\u2019s Wear Daily<\/em>, June 15, 1970, p.4-5.<\/p>\n

3<\/a>. \u201cYSL- Sure and easy\u201d in Women\u2019s Wear Daily<\/em>, April 24, 1972, p.1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

____________________________<\/span><\/p>\n

Love this post? Share it on social media with the links below. Saturday, April 18th is the final day to see Yves Saint Laurent + Halston: Fashioning the 70s<\/em>. Hurry in, and tweet using #YSLhalston<\/a>.
\n-MM<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today we bring you insight from co-curator Emma McClendon on Yves Saint Laurent’s inspiration from Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. For more information on the many inspirations of Yves Saint Laurent, check out the essays in the book Yves Saint Laurent + Halston: Fashioning the 70s. ____________________________ Historical pastiche was a significant part of Yves Saint Laurent\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/exhibitions.fitnyc.edu\/blog-ysl-halston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/exhibitions.fitnyc.edu\/blog-ysl-halston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/exhibitions.fitnyc.edu\/blog-ysl-halston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exhibitions.fitnyc.edu\/blog-ysl-halston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exhibitions.fitnyc.edu\/blog-ysl-halston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/exhibitions.fitnyc.edu\/blog-ysl-halston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1218\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/exhibitions.fitnyc.edu\/blog-ysl-halston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exhibitions.fitnyc.edu\/blog-ysl-halston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exhibitions.fitnyc.edu\/blog-ysl-halston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}