04/10/2026
I’ve never knew (till this exhibition) that Yves Saint Laurent made costumes for ballet and theatre. SAINT LAURENT
But here is what I noticed, as a fashion designer familiar with his work, beef with Karl Lagerfeld, power suits, and troubled past.
These works felt different, more free of the constraints of creating for a brand with established culture and aesthetic. More free and colorful than the runways. More “costumie” than what he put out for the brand. Why? Because here, in the universe of a theatre piece, the visual could be created from scratch and still incorporate the story. Here, the volume and the movement are complimentary.
The illustrations felt raw, emotional and too small for the paper. His added notes show the creative process and reminded me of my own, because I do the exact same. Comparing myself with the legend that Yves Saint Laurent was is not what I am doing here. What I mean is, that from now on, no matter who tells me that notes shouldn’t be on the illustrations because the illustrations should be clear enough as images, I will not listen. If YSL did it, I can too.
I am glad he could explore this part of fashion creation. And that I got to see it and experience it through his illustrations. Thank you Istituto Europeo di Design for organising this visit to the Gallery.