Yves Laurent is Algerian born French fashion designer, who is considered one of the most celebrated and inspirational couturiers in the industry. His apparels, accessories, perfumes are available in the market under the label ‘YSL’.
Thanks to Alliance Francaise Kathmandu(AFK) and Namuna College of Fashion and Technology (NCFT), who teamed up on Friday, November 27, on the premises of NCFT to screen “YSL: His Life and Times”, one of the two documentaries on Saint Laurent directed by David Teboul.
AFK frequently organizes movie and documentary screenings for the public on various themes ranging from climate change to animations. AFK’s most recent group of screenings, “10th edition of The Month of Documentaries” held from November 29-27, featured films on music and mountain regions, including fashion—a much needed addition to the list.
“When I arrived in Kathmandu in September, Nepal Fashion Week was taking place, and I was surprised and happy to learn about it,” recounts recently appointed Director of AFK Ms. Elise Tassin. “As a woman and the new director of AFK, I wanted to involve AFK in fashion projects too,” says the former model, who has worked in France and India.
The young AFK director felt that NCFT was the right place to organize the movie screening. “It’s necessary for fashion designing students to learn about French designers because they have contributed a lot to the global fashion industry,” opines Elise. “Inviting professional French designers as guest lecturers for the fashion designing students is also in the pipeline,” she adds.
The organization’s initiation to include Teboul’s 85 minutes long documentary on Yves, lifts the importance of fashion, among other highly common themes such as music and environment. “YSL: His Life and Times” was screened amid a host of avid fashion designing students, expatriates and fashion enthusiasts.
The movie reveals the life of Saint Laurent through anecdotes by Saint Laurent himself, his partner Pierre Berge, and his muses Loulou de la Falaise and Betty Catroux. The movie is brought to life by nostalgic black and white photographs and videos of the iconic designer from the 50s that have been juxtaposed against the colorful images of the 60s. The early black and white fashion advertisements of Yves’s designs were something new to the Nepali audiences.
The movie is especially insightful for Nepali designers as it shows how Saint Laurent drew inspiration from everyday life and chose not to be pigeonholed by the strict rules of fashion. The movie also depicted the transition of international fashion from late 50’s to early 2000 and the crucial role that Yves’s played.
Bright Moroccan colors for dresses, golden buttons on casual clothes, studded belts, structured shoulders, and safari jackets for women, are all innovations of the man who declared that “the future is of ready-to-wear” way ahead in the 70s.
Models attired in 1988 YSL Autumn/Winter collection where paper birds are conspicuous on the dresses, take the runway at the end of the movie, which is a reminder of the hotchpotch works done by Nepali designers.
In all, the documentary screening was a smart move by AFK at a time when androgynous styles have reentered the global fashion scene as well as the capital. This very androgynous style was pioneered by none other than Saint Laurent himself in the 70’s.
Interesting facts about Saint Laurent
- At the age of 21 Saint Laurent became the head designer of the House of Dior.
- Prabal Gurung, New York based Nepali designer debuted in international fashion scene in February 2009 with his set of collection inspired by the early designs of Yves Saint Laurent.
- In 1953, Saint Laurent participated in the International Wool Secretariat competition for the second time outdoing his friend Fernando Sanchez and young German Karl Lagerfeld.
- In 1962, Saint Laurent set up his fashion house along with his longtime partner Pierre Berge.
- In 1983, Saint Laurent became the first living fashion designer to be honored by the Metropolitan Museum of Art with a solo exhibition.
- He is credited with a gamut of innovations including the reefer jacket, sheer blouse and jumpsuit as well as ready-to-wear culture.
- Saint Laurent died on June 1, 2008. He was 71.
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