Vintage Icon: Eccentric Style.

Ladies & gentlemen, Loulou de la Falaise (1948-2011) was an eccentric YSL muse also known as “the quintessential Rive Gauche haute bohémienne.” Loulou de la Falaise moved to New York in the 1960s where she shortly worked as a model for American Vogue before returning back to England now with a position as junior editor for the magazine Queen. This was an important move because during this junior editor position she came in contact with Yves Saint Laurent – a long-lasting friendship had started. This friendship led to Paris where the great diva started working for the YSL haute couture house in 1972. Loulou de la Falaise’s job was to bring her eccentric style into jewelry design. When Yves Saint Laurent resigned in 2002, Loulou de la Falaise started her own clothing line and jewelry design that was characterized by the New York Times fashion journalist Cathy Horn as, “The clothing line captured much of her rare taste—well-cut blazers in the best English tweeds, French sailor pants in linen, striped silk blouses with cheeky black lace edging, masculine walking coats with fur linings, and gorgeous knits in perfectly chosen colors”. Loulou de la Falaise was a great muse, diva and style icon that must be kept in our memories. There are still only a few of the real once that really stands out – Loulou is one!

 

 

Vintage Home: A Master Piece.

Ladies & gentlemen, Marrakech, Morocco was a forever long creative and exotic colour inspiration for Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent. Above is displayed the interior of some of the rooms in Yves Saint Laurent & Pierre Bergé home in Marrakech. When Saint Laurent was not actively supervising the preparation of a collection, he spent time at his villa here. The strong colours, culture and surroundings have inspired plenty of YSL collections. Simply master pieces in its form, silhouettes and contextual understanding.

Vintage Hotel: The Orient Express.

Ladies & Gentlemen, the Orient Express has started. The long-distance passenger service passing one culture after another. A cultural fusion, an explosion of colours from divine red, burnt orange, bright pink and (the Moroccan) Majorelle blue. Exotic colours of Marrakech that the designer Yves Saint Laurent found so intoxicating. Saint Laurent is creating visionary pieces elsewhere, this year is 2011 and the Middle east countries, in particular people in Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Algeria and Bahrain are protesting against their regimes and in Tunisia and Egypt the presidents have been allocated. We are experiencing something that is difficult to predict. Trends come and go, sometimes the forecast is pretty clear but luckily, human beings still have their own will and right to change and do the unpredictable. It’s time for a shake and wake up. Culture, religion, gender, sexuality, history – a shift in paradigm? Going where? First step and how this is inspiring within the field of fashion, textile & design. It makes us rethink the traditional way of doing things. It creates new perspectives on excentric pattern mixes, over dye & over print, focus on different technic & craftmanship, darker colours added accent of bronze and lemon yellow. Explore the fusion between different cultures and add your own special and characteristic scent maybe inspired from your trip with the Orient Express? Folks where is your trip going?

Source: Hotel Riad El Fenn

Vintage Designer: Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent. Cocktail dress, Collection Spring/Summer 1992.

Yves Saint Laurent. Cashmere dress & shawl, Collection Autumn/spring 1990

Yves Saint Laurent. Black evening dress, Collection Autumn/Winter 1968.

Yves Saint Laurent. Vest & pantalon, Collection Spring/Summer 1978.

A Thursday tribute to one of our most innovative and influential designers per excellence Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008). Here are just a few key looks from his long and very respected career in French Fashion in the 20th Century.