Musée Yves Saint Laurent

May 9, 2019May 8, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

At Musée Yves Saint Laurent in Paris, my heart beat faster. Like, a hundred times faster. The museum is located in the legendary hôtel particulier at 5 avenue Marceau where Yves Saint Laurent spent nearly thirty years designing his collections from 1974 to 2002. The same building serves as the headquarters of the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent. Across 450 m2, an ever-changing rotation of retrospective displays and temporary thematic exhibitions present the Fondation’s rich and unique collection. The museum focuses on both the couturier’s creative genius and the process of designing a haute couture collection. Beyond its monographic ambitions, the museum seeks to address the history of the twentieth century and the haute couture traditions that accompanied a way of life that no longer exists. From Yves’ studio, which seems to be completely untouched, to the space dedicated to the designer’s collaboration with Claude Lalanne (forever love), this place is a visual and historic treat.

5 avenue Marceau / Paris

All photos by Edward Kanarecki.

Fashion. Marc Jacobs AW18

February 16, 2018February 16, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Huge flourishes, bold gestures, broad strokes and silhouettes expressed in rich and gorgeous fabrics from double-faced cahmeres, meltons, and tweeds to failles, moirés, iridescent and flocked taffetas, radzimir (!), velvet and warp print statins. Marc Jacobs‘ autumn-winter 2018 wasn’t just a lesson on fabrics – it was a lesson of fashion. Inspired with the 80s mega-designers – Thierry Mugler, Claude Montana, Emanuel Ungaro, Christian Lacroix, Yves Saint Laurent – Marc had the very best to show in his spectacular collection. Polka-dots, big shoulders, XXL bows and ruffles – that’s a wardrobe of Mrs. Glam, who’s wearing a chic bolero hat. Jacobs, whose company is reportedly in a financial crisis, seems to show the middle finger towards commerce, for fashion’s sake. There’s no way you can’t respect that. And who knows – maybe that kind of extravagance will sell better, than any cheaper sister-line filled with sweatshirts? All the hope in the clients.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Grandiose. Saint Laurent SS18

September 27, 2017September 27, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

The passing of Pierre Bérge, Yves Saint Laurent’s partner in private and business life, wasn’t meant to be reflected as a mourning in Anthony Vaccarello‘s third collection for Saint Laurent. Rather, the spring-summer 2018 collection was a celebration of the ‘l’amour fou’, the crazy love that the two shared. And that was a show that matches one word: grandiose!

From what should I start? The venue was an open-air platform situated in the most precious viewpoint in the French capital – yes, the twinkling Eiffel Tower was the runway’s backdrop! THAT’S PARIS, and Vaccarello loves to highlight that Saint Laurent is the most Parisian label you can think of, in terms of style and its faces (for Yves that was Catherine Deneuve; for Anthony it’s Charlotte Gainsbourg). Second, the collection with an impression that was just as strong as of the venue. It was divided in three parts, the women’s ready-to-wear, menswear and ‘modern-day’ couture. The first part was very lace-y, very bohème and Courtney Love / Lenny Kravitz-cool. In other words, that’s what you see a Parisienne wear on the streets, no bra, just pure confidence. Menswear was simple and chic. However, the couture-ish part was my favourite. What a contemporary ode to Yves and his memorable appreciation for the ‘custom-made’. Puff skirts and very, very mini-dresses of huge volumes (one of them was so short that the model’s panties were visible – they were elegantly embellished with a rhinestone Eiffel Tower). Use of feathers, that referred to YSL’s autumn-winter 1987 and his costumes for Zizi Jeanmarie, was killer. Can’t get enough of all these boas, feather-y shoulders and thigh-high boots covered in plumage. That was so over-the-top. A fashion moment I anticipated so much, but thought will not happen in this decade. With his best collection up-to-date, Vaccarello really proves that Saint Laurent is the perfect place for him. Bravo.

Collages by Edward Kanarecki.

A Re-See

November 20, 2015November 20, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s not Alessandro Michele, the designer behind Gucci, who made everybody fall in love with vintage fashion and nostalgia. And definitely, he wasn’t the first. Re-See is the result of long term collaboration between Sofia Bernardin and Sabrina Marshall, two fashion veterans who previously worked at prestigious Vogue and super chic Self Service magazine. One day, Sabrina and Sofia decided to bring the fashion-obsessed people their own, virtual boutique, offering a beautifully curated selection of authentic, pre-owned pieces in the perfect condition. The Paris-based on-line store has some real treasures, which appear to be fashion history’s most covetted pieces – like the super rare Goa bag by Hermes and a impressive collection of Nicolas Ghesquiere’s favourite pieces from his tenure at Balenciaga. Lately, the founders of Re-See dropped a wide range of Yves Saint Laurent from the 60’s and 70’s (the famous, hand-embroidered “Ballet Des Russe” gowns are here, too – Vyshyvanka by Vita Kin, take notes). However, what really makes Re-See so appealing is their way of presenting these one-of-a-kind, pristine condition clothes. Their signature, fashion editorial style and styling tips make buying luxury, yet vintage pieces a new experience.

More at resee.com – and here is a selection of my favourite pieces from their on-line boutique!

CHANEL / PRE-FALL 2009 MOSCOW COLLECTION JACKET

SAINT LAURENT / 1979 RUFFLED ENSEMBLE

FENDI / FUR CUFF JACKET

CÉLINE / 60’S HORSE-SHOE BELT

MIU MIU / S/S 2010 TRI-COLOUR CAPRETTO BOOTIES

SAINT LAURENT / 70’S MILITARY JACKET

LOUIS VUITTON / RARE 1996 “CENTENAIRE” SHOULDER BAG

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA / WHITE SILK SCARF

MISSONI / 90S SEQUIN TUNIC ENSEMBLE

SAINT LAURENT / 70’S BROWN HOODED CAPE

MIU MIU / S/S 2011 ELECTRIC SHIFT DRESS

CHANEL / RED CAMELLIA BROOCHES

PIERRE CARDIN / RARE VINTAGE VELVET CORSET ENSEMBLE

PRADA / F/W 2011 RUNWAY SUEDE PYTHON BOOTS

GUCCI / TOM FORD 2003 SHIRT

HERMÈS / RARE VINTAGE ‘GOA’ BAG

SAINT LAURENT / 1976 RUSSIAN COLLECTION DRESS

LOUIS VUITTON / S/S 2010 PEG HEEL CLOGS

SAINT LAURENT / 1960’S EMBROIDERED CANVAS ENSEMBLE

BALENCIAGA / F/W 2012 METALLIC TONED TROUSERS

JOHN GALLIANO SLIP DRESS

SAINT LAURENT / S/S 2007 FLOWER-GARLANDED GOWN

YSL’s Le Smoking X Farfetch

August 10, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

The Bowes Museum and the Fondation Pierre Berge are collaborating to create Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal exhibition, which will be presenting a major display of the French fashion designer’s work and life. The YSL show will highlight the defining elements of his vision, and the significant influence it has had on fashion and the way we understand women’s fashion today.

But one of the most revolutionary womenswear items Saint Laurent has ever created is the ‘iconic’ smoking jacket. In collaboration with Farfetch and their Saint Laurent selection, I created my personal interpretation of how a modern-day woman can wear this chic jacket, in a “seasonless” way, always matching her auntentic style. I chose a silk boho top, a pair of classical denim trousers and bold, but timeless accessories (like the Sac du Jour bag) to make her outfit with the smoking jacket be a classical ensemble she can wear season after season. The blue wide brim hat brings the total outfit an individual touch, just like the lipstick pin.

Thank you Farfetch for inviting me to take part in this competition together with other fashion bloggers!

farfetch.com / Saint Laurent X Farfetch / YSL Exhibition