Yves Saint-Laurent

Yves SAINT-LAURENT & Pierre BERGé & Catherine DENEUVE & COLLECTIVE
Yves Saint-Laurent
The Metropolitan Museum of Art | New York 1983 | 23.5 x 31 cm | publisher's binding
First edition printed for the exhibition dedicated to Yves Saint-Laurent at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art from 14 December 1983 to 2 September 1984.
Beautiful copy.
Bradel binding in full blue cloth, copy complete with its illustrated dust jacket.
Rich iconography.
Texts in English by Yves Saint-Laurent, Diana Vreeland, René Huyghe, Pierre Bergé, Paloma Picasso-Lopez, Marella Agnelli, Catherine Deneuve, Duane Michals, Pierre Boulat, Nicholas Vreeland.
Very rare and precious inscribed copy handwritten signed inscription in French from Yves Saint-Laurent to Hélène [Rochas]: “To Hélène, to my dearest Hélène, this memory among so many other memories. This book from a part of my life where I can take advantage of it to express all my gratitude for you having contributed with beauty and elegance to make my work blossom. To my sincere friend. Yves with all of his tenderness.”
This inscription from Yves Saint-Laurent is a beautiful and extremely rare declaration of friendship for Hélène Rochas, whom he has considered to be one of his close friends for many years. At the time of writing this inscription, the fashion designer was at the height of his glory, becoming the first fashion designer to be the subject of a retrospective during his lifetime thanks to the exhibition held at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. As for the recipient of the inscription, Hélène Rochas skillfully manages her perfume house, which, under her direction, becomes a real industrial empire having international success with her creations “Madame Rochas” and “Eau de Rochas.” She established herself as an informal muse for her friend's brand, an influential ambassador of the Yves Saint-Laurent fashion house, to which she will always remain faithful. The fashion designer contributed largely to creating her image as a “socialite” and dressed her for the sumptuous balls she threw at the Grande Cascade in the Bois de Boulogne in 1965, as well as the Monte-Carlo Centenary Ball in 1966, organised at the request of Prince Rainier III. In return, Hélène Rochas knew how to choose the Yves Saint-Laurent ready-to-wear collection masterpieces: suits, fur coats, Slave-inspired dresses that remained legendary in fashion history. At this time, they are both at the head of a successful perfume line, since the launch of Yves Saint-Laurent perfumes in 1971, and they also share a love of the Parisian Rive Gauche. The Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter, were they both lived for more than forty years, served as an inspiration for the famous ready-to-wear collection “Rive Gauche” by Yves Saint-Laurent and was the scene of memorable parties held in Hélène Rochas's apartment on Rue Barbey de Jouy, attended by Aragon, Paul Éluard, Madeleine Renaud and Jean-Louis Barrault, Marie-Louise Bousquet, director of Harper's Bazaar, Viscountess Marie-Laure de Noailles, Salvador Dali, Max Ernst and Man Ray. For almost half a century, Yves Saint Laurent and Hélène Rochas embodied the golden age of Parisian luxury, and their friendship lasted until the fashion designer's death in 2008.