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Yves Saint Laurent: Sensuality and Haute Sophistication
By Godfrey Deeny
Photos by: Gruber-FWD
Click on image to see bigger photo.
Paris, Oct 10, 2001/ FWD/ --- Any suggestions Tom Ford might play it safe as creative
director of Yves Saint Laurent were firmly laid aside Wednesday in Paris after the American
designer sent out a defiantly bold Rive Gauche collection that, just like his last, will
influence lesser powers for months, maybe even years, to come.
Tom has clearly been trawling the huge Saint Laurent archives. Happily, Wednesday’s show was
not a tepid reinterpretation but a gutsy, fresh approach to the YSL we always knew and loved.
As Bryan Ferry and various singers crooned "You Put a Spell on Me," Ford did precisely that
with a sexy collection which blended hot sensuality with haute sophistication.
Above all, there were loads of outstanding clothes, though one outfit seemed to sum up the
blend of dexterity and creativity that is Ford’s specialty at Rive Gauche: a chocolate-colored
dress, loosely woven at the top, crocheted at the bottom, to which Ford attached swirling
wool ties.
It was unlike anything we’ve seen in Europe this fall and rendered the model stunning. Another
standout was a dark brown silk dress made of a flowing mid-length skirt and swirling strands
revealing glimpses of the torso without seeming immodest.
The show caused enormous traffic jams on a south Paris boulevard.
The Rodin Museum, where the
previous two Rive Gauche collection were staged, effectively evicted YSL, complaining that
the elaborate black and violet custom-made show space took too long to erect and dismantle.
As a result, YSL decamped to the Cité Université, allowing hundreds of French students their
first view of the fashion hoard, along with a few celebs.
Dennis Hopper, one of the few bona fide stars to attend Paris this week, showed up, snapping
away with his camera, and Stephanie Seymour – looking over-poweringly sexy – made an entrance
in a black embroidered number from last season’s Rive Gauche.
Ford’s Rive Gauche look is looser than his predecessors Alber Elbaz and the great Yves himself.
The easy yet luxurious singlets assumed a new naturalness, as did the hair tied in ethnic pony
tails.
Ford also sent out some striking oversized half-moon leather shoulder bags. Half-moons turned
up on number of runways in Milan and Paris, but nowhere as boldly as at Saint Laurent.
His finale was dominated by a long series of leopard and tiger prints, in caftans, snug skirts,
décolleté tops and racy jumpsuits.
This final flourish recalled one of Yves’ early ‘80s collections, though with an added modern
twist.
"I’m not going to give you any help about references," laughed Ford. "You’re a perfectly good
critic, work it out for yourself."
Indeed, this collection spoke for itself.
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