Every history has its beginning. My adventure with YSL fashion house started a couple of years ago when I’ve got as a gift black scarf with white printed skulls and subtle logo Saint Laurent during my stay in NYC. You could spot it on my Instagram because I love to incorporate this kind of clothing piece to my different outfits (using it as a scarf on my neck, as a nice addition to simple black bag or instead of bracelet on my wrist). As you know from my previous posts, fashion isn’t for me about prestige of luxury clothes, it’s more about history behind every little thing.

From that time I’m a huge fan of Saint Laurent (after transition from YSL) brand and character of Yves Saint Laurent. This French creator is regarded as being among the foremost fashion designers in the twentieth century. I admire him and his work by the fact that he approached fashion in a different perspective by wanting women to look comfortable yet elegant at the same time. He also introduced the famous tuxedo suit for women (I have a black one in my wardrobe and I’m totally obsessed with it) and was known for his use of non-European cultural references. Going this way I want to show you some impactful inspirations which are presented at a special exhibition „Dreams of the Orient” that take place at Yves Saint Laurent Musée in Paris. As you can see from my pictures, the creators behind it brought together in the most beautiful way all haute couture designs inspired by India, China and Japan. In his Orient-inspired designs, Yves Saint Laurent repeatedly used floral prints that explicitly referenced the Far East. He discovered them through his collection of ceramics and the books he read. The whole exhibition was an amazing visual and sensual experience for me. From unique clothing projects to the most iconic perfumes & accessories. Literally life and creativity of YSL in a nutshell.

I don’t usually write about private lives of designers but at this case I have to write something. Yves was an extraordinary man. Born in Oran, Algeria the shy and sensitive Saint Laurent was an avid reader of literary works and his mother’s fashion magazines. His passion for fashion was so strong and by his early teen years he was designing dresses for his mother and sister. At the age of 17, Saint Laurent moved to Paris and enrolled at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, where his designs quickly gained notice and later thanks to his pure talent and hard work he bacame one of the most iconic worldwide fashion designers. But there was also a dark side of his life. Intensive drug addiction almost destroyed his ambitious plans. During a certain period of his career Saint Laurent was considered one of Paris's „jet set”. He was often seen at clubs in France and New York City such as Regine’s and famous Studio 54, and was known to be both a heavy drinker and a frequent user of cocaine. Do you remember that concrete scene from the movie about YSL with his pet French Bulldog Moujik? If not, go and see this movie, it’s really amazing. Luckily his partner - industrialist Pierre Bergé was the light of his life and helped him in getting out of the problems and starting their own fashion house Yves Saint Laurent YSL. Even after their split, they remained a very good business partners which translated into the incredible splendor of the YSL itself. Saint Laurent became the first living fashion designer to be honoured by the Metropolitan Museum of Art with a solo exhibition. He was also awarded the rank of Commander of the Légion d'Honneur by French president Jacques Chirac.

Not without reason, I wrote so much about YSL. This is kind of a person I respect so much. Not only for his incredible talent, but also for the fact that he remained himself to the end of his days. If one day I have a child, and it will be a boy, I would love to give him one of the names, Yves.