The 30th Alliance Français French Film Festival 2019 presents Celebration which opens with a sense of uncertainty, scattered thought and vacancy. The designer's hand is at a loss with completing a design sketch; a hand that once upon a time could have drawn up a power suit fit for Bianca Jagger or revealing see-through blouses designed to liberate the swingers of London’s happening sixties scene. There’s a sense of realisation and completion. Such emotion is solidified with the designer being asked: “Do you understand this era of fashion?” Yves Saint Laurent simply answering: “I feel it.”
Written and directed by Olivier Meyrou, the documentary gives an insight as to how Yves Saint Laurent the Designer and the House functioned. The Designer: flirtatious model fittings, celebrating a birthday and answering questions about what is next on the fashion horizon, all with a sense of what was. The House: a small army of adoring seamstresses and business partner Pierre Berge delegating looks for fashion shows, presenting a pyramid to the city of Paris, all while dealing with the press and nosey photographers.
Throughout the documentary Yves Saint Laurent is followed - almost shadowed - by: Pierre Berge. Berge was Yves Saint Laurent’s business and, for a time, life partner. There’s a sense of menace with his glances, presence and opinions and it’s easy to say Pierre is overbearing and controlling. Though listening to him reminisce about ’67 and walk through the former offices of YSL he too seems to miss those founding days of an up and coming rebellious fashion house, which he helped build. Berge is just as passionate about the delivery of looks and the integrity of the house though his approach is more direct and straight for the jugular.
Yves Saint Laurent was adored and respected throughout Paris - Archival Collection pieces took centre stage at the Opening Ceremony for FIFA World Cup 98’ (Carla Bruni wearing the famous Dove dress). And in the United States his contributions were recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America). Yves Saint Laurent knew he was the last of his kind. One of the last living couturiers, thereby upholding a particular in-house elegance and even to his final days there was time for a celebration: Yves Saint Laurent.
The 30th Alliance Français French Film Festival 2019 runs from 14th March - 14th April.
Michael Foote