YSL's Sexed-Up Sublime
By Melanie Rickey
Photos by Gruber-FWD
PARIS, Oct 11, 2002/ FWD/ --- "Did you see the vagina dress, darling?" Tom Ford asked Ingrid
Sischy, editor of Interview magazine, as she congratulated him on his latest triumphant
collection for Yves Saint Laurent Monday in Paris.
The female body part in question was not an apparent feature of the collection; it was a mere
suggestion on elegant cocktail dresses with corset-laced backs and multi-slashed front panels.
But suggestive naughtiness is always there with Ford -- you just have to look for it.
Lips, however, did make it in.
A surrealist-inspired red lipped mouth and trompe l’oeil nude painted toenails decorated
the extremely high transparent Lucite-heeled shoes in the collection.
As did breast action: quilted silk/satin short jackets had intense stitch detail.
Fripperies aside, Tom Ford has pulled off another delicious coup for YSL that will have women
beating a path to the brand’s global doors next spring.
He pared down his silhouette into a body hugging, waist emphasizing column and presented his
most grown-up, sophisticated and luxurious collection yet for the legendary house.
These clothes scream of low-key, high-octane chic, yet maintain many Yves Saint Laurent
signatures.
Ford has certainly not pushed his influence aside.
Tuxedos, a slim soft chocolate suede trench, and black silk chiffon blouses were key.
He even included Monsieur Saint Laurent’s motif, Le Coeur Fetishe, a chunky jeweled heart
necklace with which the couturier traditionally accessorized his favorite outfit in each of
his haute couture collections.
Ford worked a mostly muted color palette of blush pink, soft lilac, pale gold, dove gray and
nude with tobacco and black thrown in for good measure.
Trousers were super-slim, high-waisted and stretchy. Shiny leather jackets with sharp revers
were cropped to the waist and belted. Strong shouldered tuxedo jackets stopped at the waist
with thick duchess satin cummerbunds.
Key looks were elegantly slim paneled pencil skirts, spliced to exaggerate feminine contours
worn with elegant body-hugging mesh camisoles or delicately pin-tucked chemises.
Black crepe cocktail dresses stopped at the knee, had full sleeves and were decorated with
a large flower that pulled the eye to the waist or hip. Straight-shouldered, slim lilac
crepe evening cloaks were created to look like delicate wings.
One was beautifully beaded.
The finale was a selection of stunning full length dresses in pale shades that hugged the
body ending with volume at the floor.
This collection may prove to be the grown-up blueprint for next spring and summer, and
usher in a desire to dress more like a woman than a girl.
It was about the body, but didn’t reveal too much of it.
It will spell the beginning of the end of our obsession with the exposed midriff, and confirm
the high-waisted trouser phenomenon.
Time to get to those hip, waist and butt minimizing classes.
|
