“Over the years I have learnt that what is important in a dress is the woman who is wearing it”
– Yves Saint Laurent
Calling all fashion lovers – there’s a new film you have to see. The stunning YVES SAINT LAURENT, directed by Jalil Lespert, is an impeccably styled biopic of the late fashion designer and tells the untold story of one of fashion’s true greatest legends.
I must confess to not knowing a whole lot about Yves’ career before watching the film and couldn’t believe he was only 21 when he began taking the reins of the Dior couture fashion house after the death of Christian Dior himself. By the age of 26, he had started his own fashion house YSL with his partner in both business and love, Pierre Berge (played by Guillaume Gallienne), which became one of the most famous brands in fashion and luxury. The man himself is played by relative newcomer Pierre Niney who plays the role with brilliant conviction – exploring the fun along with the darker sides of Yves’ personality perfectly.
This visually sumptuous film begins in Paris in 1957 and charts YSL’s early career from his early years at Dior in the late 50s through to his iconic Ballet Russes collection of 1976. We’re shown the world of this time period, which is perfectly captured through the elegant designs, stylish models and a jazz score that matches the chic Parisian apartments the fashionistas inhabit. We’re also taken for a brief sojourn to Marrakech to see inside the infamous fashion parties thrown by Yves, featuring cameos from none other than characters such as Karl Lagerfeld and Andy Warhol.
Based on the book by Laurence Benaim, YVES SAINT LAURENT is a sheer delight for any fashion followers, with many breathtaking pieces taken from the original Saint Laurent archives in Paris to be used in the film. Pierre Niney is also supported by an equally well-cast ensemble, including a louche Nikolai Kinski as Karl Lagerfeld, and doe-eyed beauty Charlotte Le Bon as Saint Laurent’s muse Victoire Doutreleau. It’s a gorgeous glimpse into an era in fashion history that I otherwise would have been pretty clueless about and with it being just so goddamn pretty, it’s a real treat for the eyes for a couple of hours.
This stylish, elegant and candid film is a fitting tribute to the man who became a true industry icon; showing that despite his own doubts and demons, Yves managed to turn the sleepy world of fashion upside down and quite literally change the way women dress forever.
Have you seen the film? If so let me know what you think!
LMNH x
