Yves Saint Laurent: Costume Designer

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the streets; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening,” Yves Saint Laurent once mused. From his great friendship with eternal muse, actress Catherine Deneuve, to his creations for the ballet, theater, and silver screen, perhaps not known to a lot, the late couturier nurtured a deep and symbiotic relationship with costume design. Assisting in portraying changes, peculiarities, and emotions of a character, as well as their personality and financial status, clothing undeniably bares a colossal impact on our understanding and perception of them.

The Pink Panther, 1963

Directed by Blake Edwards, the slapstick feature does Après-Ski style at its finest, providing us with a template for the perfect vacation wardrobe. The story follows a young princess living in exile, a jewelry thief cat burglar, a clumsy detective, and his impossibly stylish wife on a holiday in a ski town at the Southern Dolomite Alps. Juxtaposing Claudia Cardinale’s warm, lustrous looks with Capucine’s (known only by her stage name) cold, demure elegance, the costumes provided by Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent effortlessly underline the characters personalities; think of the reversible 2-in-1 outfit expertly worn during a getaway. A chic and risky choice by modern standards, Cardinale and Capucine glided down the slopes in a parade of chunky knits and beautiful jackets that were combined either with black leggings or trousers. Relaxing fireside and at dinner parties in cocktail dresses or tunic and pants ensembles, the spectacular sartorial display culminated around the lava orange embellished ballgowns worn by Cardinale to a costume party and in promotional pictures.

Moment to Moment, 1965

Starring the enigmatic Jean Seberg, this exciting and suspenseful thriller was American director Mervin Leroy’s last film. Featuring scenic harbor and museum shots with artwork by the likes of Giacometti and Chagall, the clothing designed by Saint Laurent and worn by Seberg effortlessly reflects French Riviera chic. Portraying the bored and lonely young wife of a renowned psychiatrist, she embarks on an ill-advised affair with a handsome officer. Alluring in an unobtrusive manner, unlike Catherine Deneuve’s character in Belle de Jour, Seberg’s Kay Stanton is seductive in a more pared-down sort of way. Softened silhouettes merged with precise cuts as matching scarves, a year-round accessory we come to associate synonymous with the baguette as a staple of France, were provided with nearly every outfit. One of the highlights is a navy and ivory sailor-inspired dress, which Kay intentionally or unintentionally chose to wear to an outing with her uniform-clad love interest.

Arabesque, 1966

Mysterious and seductive, Sophia Loren’s heady beauty is on full display in the feature directed by Stanley Donen. Turning heads (Gregory Peck fell head over heels for her), Loren portrayed Yasmine, a clever and exotic spy tasked with protecting the Prime Minister and uncovering an international conspiracy. Whether fleeing or flirting, Loren stuns in Yves Saint Laurent. From a spectacular gilded hooded Bohemian gown to a simple skirt suit and A-line dress, the actress’ wardrobe never fails. Providing a touch of elegance and class, she attends a horse race in a striking pure white ensemble with origami flowers adorning the sleeves, accessorized with a brooch and the matching wide-brimmed hat. A red vinyl car coat combined with an ivory scarf and black boots brings to mind the iconic counterpart that was worn by Deneuve in Belle de Jour. Seducing in a parade of delicate chiffon nightgowns in zebra print, classic black, or ruffled pale pink, it is hard to imagine a more fitting role for Loren to play than that of the intelligent, glamorous, and confident secret agent.

Belle de Jour, 1967

Adapted from the novel by Joseph Kessel and directed by Luis Buñuel, Belle de Jour rose over time to cult classic status. Undeniably in part due to the spectacular wardrobe Yves Saint Laurent crafted for Catherine Deneuve, who plays in the film Séverine, a young woman embroiled in a duplicitous life between her virgin marriage and the danger and freedom that she finds working in a brothel. Probably considered his pinnacle of costume design, the designer has managed to strike the perfect balance of austerity and seduction for the character. The black vinyl trench coat, part of Saint Laurent’s rive gauche 1966 collection, and the Safari shift dress became a powerful part of the Maison’s history. From a grey military-style coat adorned with epaulettes and accessorized with Roger Vivier’s iconic square-toed buckle pumps and the red A-line dress worn with the matching short jacket to the brown leather fur-trimmed coat and a strict schoolgirl dress combined with scallop-edge suede pumps, the entire feature is simply brimming with spectacular fashion moments. ”The character’s style really owes a lot to the image Saint Laurent created,” explained Deneuve.

La Chamade, 1968

Directed by Alain Cavalier and based on a novel by French writer Françoise Sagan, La Chamade is a continuation of the friendship and professional collaboration with Catherine Deneuve. Portraying Lucile on screen, a young woman that is stuck and torn between a pampered life of privilege with an older man and a less comfortable existence with her handsome young lover. Showcasing a softer and more relaxed wardrobe, the second time around, the pieces can best be described as utterly Parisian. As the film’s story begins to unfold at a leisurely pace, a wide variety of different creations, straightforwardly cut and elegantly designed, carry her from casual to high society. Relaxing at the beach, attending the theater, visiting an exhibition, going on dates, or working at a newspaper, the designer has got her outfits nailed to a tee. Lucile’s bourgeoisie way of dressing is timeless in its simplicity, her clothing is as modern and fitting today as it was in 1968!

Mississippi Mermaid, 1969

The third round of collaboration between the designer and his eternal muse, Catherine Deneuve, reads as a harsher and more masculine sartorial continuation. Portraying in the noir feature an intoxicating and shady femme fatale, Deneuve’s character maintains her glamour and elusiveness to the very end. From an elegant Safari skirt suit and a ruffled Bohemian chiffon gown, both worn with matching hats, to a dark brown feathery coat she simply had to have, the actress’ was clad from head to toe in pieces from Saint Laurent’s rive gauche Spring-Summer 1968 collection. “Of all major couturiers, he is the biggest cinephile; he understood what film costumes were supposed to be and was able to conceive them in a way that could be adapted to different movements and styles,” the film’s director, François Truffaut, divulged his opinion of Yves Saint Laurent.

Max et les Ferrailleurs, 1971

In a world that is populated by cops, robbers, crooks, and prostitutes, who is really the ethical one? Based on the novel by Claude Néron and directed by Claude Sautet, this French neo-noir feature plays on our understanding and perception of morality. Dressed for the occasion by the iconic couturier, Romy Schneider seduced in a large selection of vibrantly colored pieces. Whether petal pink, lavender, red, or black, the dresses were always effortlessly cut and accessorized with her signature item, a matching ribbon that was tied in a flirtatious manner around the neck. From a black vinyl raincoat to a turquoise top combined with dark blue cigarette pants, the outfits perfectly reflect the simplicity and freedom that defined seventies fashion. Despite the hardships she encountered in her past, current financial struggles, and her employment as a sex worker, Schneider’s character has managed to maintain a sense of effervescence and even optimism.

Stavisky, 1973

Set from late 1933 to January 1934, the French biographical drama directed by Alain Resnais centers around the mysterious life of a swindler whose actions created a tumultuous political scandal that led to violent riots in Paris, forced two prime ministers to resign, and caused a change of government. Annie Duperey plays Arlette, his beautiful and devoted wife, dressed entirely in creations by Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent. Carrying a clutch in her hand, she displayed a wardrobe of wealth, glamour, and splendor comprised of an ivory, black, and grey color palette. In an array of different hats and lavish furs, the actress was nearly covered to the brim with diamond and pearl jewelry. The languid silhouettes of chiffon and silk floor-length slip dresses became synonymous today with that of Saint Laurent. The couturier’s spectacular costume designs for the feature can perhaps only be rivaled by that of The Great Gatsby.

Subway, 1985

Part of the French cinéma du look movement, the feature directed by Luc Besson, with its synthesizer beats and colorful personas, perfectly captured the vibes of the eighties. When a character is introduced for the first time to viewers wearing a spectacular black and grey ruffled flamenco-like ball gown and an abundance of sparkling jewelry, it becomes readily apparent that we have one incredibly fashionable film on hand. Isabelle Adjani put her full acting chops on display as Héléna, an elegant, fragile woman. Whether embodying a punk queen in a spectacular black fur coat, chunky flat boots, and a mohawk or dressed in a yellow and green plaid jacket that was belted at the waist with the typical for the time oversized shoulders, Adjani’s outfits are always on point. From combining a graphic-printed blouse with chequered pants and a bomber jacket to expertly clashing a houndstooth pantsuit with a pleated shirt, the designer showcased his incredible sense for mixing patterns throughout.