To honour the legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, Holt Renfrew's Bloor Street location recently featured an in-store installation highlighting his prolific career. Vice-President of Fashion Direction Barbara Atkin muses on Holts' relationship with the iconic figure and the legacy he's left behind.
Explain the long-standing connection between YSL and Holt Renfrew.
It was almost 40 years ago and Holt Renfrew, as always, was on a discovery spree to uncover the next great thing in fashion. The store president at that time came across Yves Saint Laurent's designs in Paris and immediately recognized them as extremely special. He signed Yves Saint Laurent to an exclusive contract and Holt Renfrew became his first client in North America.
How would you describe Yves Saint Laurent?
He is one of the icons of the 21st century. He, along with Coco Chanel and Christian Dior, made Paris the fashion capital of the world. What's really interesting about Yves is that he was the first designer to add democracy to luxury. In addition to his couture, he created luxurious items that were available to everyone.
In what ways did he do this?
With his ready-to-wear collections, of course, but also in the way that he was the first designer to really build a full-blown brand. He created many beloved and best-selling perfumes, makeup and accessories.
Why do you think he had such a devoted following, not only among rich and famous fans like Catherine Deneuve, but also with women in general?
He really loved women - it's that simple. Yves saw women as strong and powerful, hence his signature shoulder details, but he also knew that that did not preclude femininity. He conceptualized the whole masculine-feminine juxtaposition that we still see today.
How influential was he in world of fashion design?
Yves Saint Laurent influenced every single designer who came after him, from Marc Jacobs (particularly his Fall 2008 collection) to Tom Ford, Diane von Furstenberg, Albar Elbaz, Donna Karan, Philip Lim and so many more. His reach cannot be measured.
In what items specifically do you see this influence?
In all the things we love and wear today: the bow blouse, the sheer blouse, the safari jacket, the man-tailored suit, the colours and patterns of exotic ethnicities - he developed all of these before anyone else and they still exist in today's style vocabulary.
What's your favourite YSL piece?
Le Smoking speaks to me. I love the aggressive shoulder treatment, the peaked lapels, the shapely suppressed waist and the pleated trouser. I wear it with nothing but a bustier.
You had the honour of meeting Yves Saint Laurent after one of his runway shows. What was he like?
His fashions were so strong but he was a very humble man. Despite his talent and success, there was a gentle fragility about him. I don't think he realized his incredible impact and how he changed fashion, for the better, forever.
