Yves Saint Laurent : L'art De La Forme

Exhibition at the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, Paris, 9 June 2023 - 14 January 2024

Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008) invented a multitude of new silhouettes - pure, abstract, geometric or graphic - by transgressing the traditional forms of fashion. From 1958, as artistic director at Christian Dior, he asserted his modernity with the "Trapèze" line; from the 1960s onwards, his creations combined simplicity of cut, rigour of line and frankness of colour. The designer's work echoed modern artistic trends: simple and geometric abstraction, constructivism, concrete art, etc.

Through 40 years of couture, this exhibition catalogue examines the couturier's modernity and his questions about the origin of form, drawing parallels with the history of twentieth-century art. The book is structured around three chapters: Minimalism, Colour, and Black and White.