A 40-year survey of fashions by one of France's renowned designers, Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective features a selection of 200 examples of his haute couture garments at the Denver Art Museum, March 25 - July 8, the only venue in the US for the exhibition.
Previously a must-see event in Paris, the show also includes photographs, drawings and films that depict his style and career from early days at Dior in 1958 to more recent gowns before his death in 2008.
Organized thematically, the presentation explores the designer's style through various ideas, starting with "Birth of a Revolutionary Couturier" and his 1958 Trapeze collection.
In addition to his classic elegant dresses, in the section "‘A Gender Revolution" Saint Laurent's designs incorporate menswear with pantsuits, tuxedos and safari looks for women.
Another area of the exhibit displays his clothing worn by celebrities such as Catherine Deneuve, Princess Grace of Monaco, Paloma Picasso, Diana Vreeland and the H.R.H. Duchess of Windsor.
There's his Piet Mondrian line and 1971's Scandal Collection reminiscent of the 1940s, as well as his Asian and Russian influences. For "The Last Ball," a room presents Saint Laurent's haute couture evening gowns.
The exhibition is organized by the Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent Conservation, which cares for 5,000 garments, 15,000 accessories and 150,000 sketches.
A video tour provides a view of the breadth of The Retrospective: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LsqiPJHSTo
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