Yves Saint Laurent's Geometric Vision Explored in Paris Exhibition

The Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris presents 'Yves Saint Laurent – Formes', an exhibition examining the couturier's work through a geometric lens. Curated by director Elsa Janssen and head curator Serena Bucalo-Mussely, the show runs until January 14, 2024, at 5 avenue Marceau. It features around forty archival models, accessories, and sketches spanning haute couture and prêt-à-porter, from the iconic 1958 'Trapèze' silhouette created at Dior to later pieces. The exhibition highlights Saint Laurent's architectural approach to fashion, his use of color and form inspired by art movements such as De Stijl, Pop Art, Cubism, and Op Art. Notable pieces include the Mondrian-inspired jacket from the 1965 fall-winter collection and a 1980 spring-summer jacket revisiting that motif. Berlin-based artist Claudia Wieser designed the exhibition's scenography, creating installations, paintings, and sculptures that echo Bauhaus and modernist principles, using materials like copper, enameled ceramic, wood, and paper. Her works, some newly created, engage in a dialogue with the garments, emphasizing the intersection of fashion and art. The exhibition underscores Saint Laurent's passion for collecting art—from Goya to Matisse to Roman busts and Art Deco—and how this influenced his designs. His use of black and white, inspired by Kazimir Malevich's 'Black Square', is also explored, with pieces from the 1998 and 2000 haute couture collections and the 1980 Rive Gauche line on display.