Fashion Day and Visit to the Yves Saint Laurent Museum

Thursday October 11 was another beautiful sunny, hot day.  The high was 26C.  Everyone has commented how unusual the high temperatures have been for this time of year.  Usually a reference to climate change follows.

We headed out on a mission- to go to the new Jack Gomme shop near the Luxembourg Gardens.  Both Alain and I wanted to get a light small bag.  The brand has been around since 1985 and while a few stores carry them in Toronto, the selection and prices are better in Paris.  It was a beautiful day for the 30 minute walk to the store.

Le Petit Cardinal near our apartment on Rue Cardinal Lemoine- beautiful day for sitting outside

 We walked by the Luxembourg Gardens.  Lots of folks out sunning themselves.  While the leaves are changing colours and falling, it felt like July.

Enjoying the sun at the Gardens

We have seen a number of electric scooters around town.  Turns out there is a shared scooter program run by a Californian company called Lime.   Lots of folks riding them in the warm weather.

A Lime e-scooter

 We stopped for a coffee at Un Grain décafé.  The coffee was excellent (roasted off-site) and the owner is an authorized Specialty Coffee Association Trainer.

Alain with our coffees

We had a sandwich we had brought with us while we waited for Jack Gomme to open after their hour lunch break.  Mission accomplished.  

We then took the Metro to the Yves Saint Laurent Museum which opened in 2017.  It had been the former showroom and atelier of Yves Saint Laurent, that had hosted temporary exhibits in past years.  For its first temporary exhibition, the Museum is exhibiting a series of the couturier's fashion designs inspired by China, India and Japan.  The exhibit is called L'Asie Rêvée (Dreams of Asia).  The exhibit focuses on Saint Laurent's passion for Eastern culture.  Approximately 50 designs are shown along side Asian artworks from collectors and the Guimet Asian Art Museum in Paris.

Poster for the exhibit- Helmut Newton (1920-2004) Ensembles de soir portés par Yasmeen Ghauri
Printemps-été 1993

The first room had a series of photos of various models wearing some of the designs with Asian influences.

Pierre Boulat (1924-98) Ensemble de soir porté par Victoire Doutreleau
Printemps-été 1962

The next room had a wall of Saint Laurent sketches--- some of them had a more finished look than his original fashion sketches so that they would be published in Women's Wear Daily.

The exhibit continued with pieces from his autumn-winter 1977 collection based on the history, culture and art of China.  The influences were many, including traditional jackets worn by Han women; traditional Chinese knotted buttons; conical hats worn by rice farmers and hats that had worn by employees of the imperial administration.

With each grouping of the clothing (ie China, India and Japan), there was a small video showing Saint Laurent designs besides pictures of art/designs/objects which influenced them.  This was fascinating and showcased Saint Laurent's imaginative and creative process.

There was quite a lot of information about the launch of his fragrance Opium, featuring drawings, and clothing that influences the final design of the perfume, it's bottle and the marketing.  Saint Laurent was involved in every aspect of the perfume's launch.  There were also interviews with some of the people who worked on the campaign.  The perfume was launched in 1977.

Veste de soir Automne-hiver 1977

In his Chinese-inspired designs, Saint Laurent used floral prints that explicitly referenced the Far East.  He had a collection of ceramics and books that also influenced his designs.

From his autumn winter 1970 collections-- embroidered with silk threads

From the accompanying video

Another room focused on collections with Indian influences.  Saint Laurent said that "I only have to look at a very beautiful book about India to draw as if I had been there.  That is the role of the imagination."  As early as 1962, Saint Laurent was creating clothes through his take on the traditional Indian coat.  In 1982, he created many versions of the Indian turban.  He collaborated with jewellers to design jewelry based on Mogul Indian designs.

Spring-summer 1982 with over 20 evening designs, dresses and garments inspired by India

From the accompanying video

Influences for the jewelry

Influences from film

Robe-manteau Automne-hiver 1962

Robe de soir, Automne-hiver 1967- next to Portes de palais-  India 19th century

Robe de soir, Automne-hiver 1986-- colour based on Indian dyes, next to Indian Sari from beginning of 20th century

From the video

Earrings- Spring-summer 1982, shaped like the boteh- also known as Paisley, which is the English term for this Persian foliage-inspired pattern

Ensemble de soir, Automne-hiver 1981-skirt embroidered in fold and stones

View of dresses with Indian influence 

There was also a room that had been Saint-Laurent's studio for 30 years.  It was bright and airy with items left on his desk as if he would be returning any time.  Filled with books, colour swatches, and jewels, it was where Saint Laurent designed with his assistants.

My attempt at a panorama  - Saint-Laurent would look at a model's reflection in the mirrored wall to evaluate the garment as he was working on it

The final room of the exhibit was devoted to the launch of Opium perfume, which was launched in October 1977, a few weeks after he presented his Chinese collection.  He was involved in all aspects of the launch, including the writing of the press kit.  The bottle was conceived with Pierre Dinard, and the advertising campaign featured a picture of Jerry Hall by Helmut Newton.  It was launched in the United States in September 1978 on a junk boat in New York harbour.

Jacket worn by Jerry Hall in photo shoot for the fragrance

Jerry Hall in advertisement photo by Helmut Lang

The room also had a wall of jewelry designed by Saint Laurent- often paired with antique jewelry that had influenced the design.

Earrings for 1980, 1983, 1998 spring-summer collections

Jade pendants 4-3 century b.c. with Saint Laurent jade earrings from spring-summer 1998

After our visit to the Museum, we walked back along Avenue des Champs-Elysees and then Rue St. Honoré.  We passed a photo shoot of a wedding dress and some beautiful buildings.

The wedding dress shoot

A hotel with lots of flowers on the balconies

We wandered into a wonderful Issy Miyake store--- we think they were getting ready for a 10-year celebration.

Issy Miyake store

We stopped at Ladouré on Rue Royale.  Alain was lucky to get the last Pain au Chocolat Pistache in the store.  It is his favourite treat.  (The stores in New York and Toronto don't seem to have the ones with pistachio).

Alain with his pain au chocolate pistache

 Since Alain was wearing a Paul Smith dinosaur T-shirt, we stopped at the Paul Smith store.  The windows were wonderful (take off on Magritte).

We walked up to Place du Marché Saint- Honoré to Maison Popeille for a lovely glass of white wine and a plate of manchego cheese.  It drizzled for about 10 minutes but we managed to keep dry under the canopy.   We walked to the Metro and headed back to the apartment for a late meal of salmon, beans, potatoes, and red wine.   More adventures to come!