Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris reopens with new exhibition focusing on Mondrian and artistic collaborations

The Musée Yves Saint Laurent in Paris has inaugurated a new permanent exhibition on February 12, 2019, reinterpreting the major themes of the couturier's style. The centerpiece is the iconic fall-winter 1965 collection inspired by Piet Mondrian, which was created in just one month after a creative crisis, thanks to a book gifted by Saint Laurent's mother. The collection, featuring 26 dresses out of 106 runway looks, was hailed as revolutionary by Women's Wear Daily, 'the best collection' by The New York Times, and 'the clothing of tomorrow' by Harper's Bazaar. The exhibition also highlights Saint Laurent's collaboration with Serge Poliakoff, including the handmade wedding dress 'Babouchka' inspired by Russian matryoshka dolls. The new layout preserves the haute couture salons and the creator's studio while adding focus on partnerships with sculptor Claude Lalanne and photographer Claus Ohm. Lalanne created anthropomorphic gold leather armor for the fall-winter 1969 collection, paired with blue and black chiffon draping. Ohm, who worked with the maison from 1976 to 1997, is celebrated for his runway photography, offering a sensitive and detailed archive. The exhibition runs until December 31, 2019.