The Bambara 1967
Ivoriane Wool Cape with Silk Djellaba (Caftan)
“Yves Saint Laurent et Le Maroc”, (YSL and Morocco) is on exhibition at the Musee du Jardin Marjorelle in Marrakech until March 18, 2011.
I had the pleasure of seeing the 40 exquisite pieces from the French designer are on display in the Marjorelle Museum, some designs dating back to as far as 1967, the year after Yves Saint Laurent arrived in Marrakech.
Yves Saint Laurent is remembered as saying “ When I discovered Marrakech, it was an extraordinary surprise. This town taught me about colors” in the video documentary that plays in one of the four rooms of the museum accompanying the clothed mannequins.
The Jardin Marjorelle is one of the most beautiful gardens in Morocco, but when the famous couturier Yves Saint Laurent rescued it in 1980 with Pierre Berger, it was in ruins. Over the years, they have restored the gardens and the buildings while creating a mythic location where Yves felt totally at home; could work on his designs, relax and vacation with friends.
It was his love for Morocco and Marrakech that enabled him to stay, rebuild and create a sanctuary for his personal life and artistic creations. This is evident in his designs of the 1960s and some of the 190s when he stylized traditional Islamic garments such as the Red Djellaba adorned with gold tapestry from his 1976 collection.
Many of the old personal photos on display show snapshots of Yves with friends, working and having fun back through the course of their lives together in Morocco. They are cleverly annotated from this period by hand written notes by his long time partner Pierre Berger. You feel like you are flipping through something so personal, its privileged.
It is without saying that this is one of the most monumental collected displays of works from a great Couturier of the 20th century in an African country.
The garments are sublime. What else would you expect from the man who coined the phrase “ fashions fade but style is eternal”?
It is certainly worth a trip to this warm exotic location. Especially if flying from the European cities such as Paris or London, where flights are inexpensive and frequent.
You’ll go in excited and wowed by the share passion in the use of color and cut of the dresses, the bling-bling of the jewels (long before bling was in), you’ll want to lean closer, look at all the fine details, even smell the beauties.
Oh well, maybe you won’t, but I sure did!
Inside the Museum I was not allowed to take photographs but:
The documentary with the YSL voice over tells of his story and how Marrakech in particular has influenced his life and his introduction to using “color”. Nothing could be more evident that the explosion of what I like to call “Jungle” colors bold greens, browns, pinks and yellow.
Looking at the capes, gowns, skirts, I felt like I wanted to sit down and have tea with this man/genius. How is it that he could create such clothes that could transform any woman into a glamazon?
Yves is the original king of Fabulosity. Every piece of clothing looked like they had just been created the day before for the museum. Better than many pieces I’ve seen at Fashion Week presentations.
I’m beyond impressed and if you’re not yet a fan of the man that refined the (le Smoking) women’s pants suit for the modern woman, or the man that made the safari jacket fashionable (la Saharienne), or the man that can drape a dress on a woman’s body to play up all her assets, this exposition will convert you.
YSL et Le Maroc
Jardin Marjorelle
Open everyday 8AM to 5:30PM
Ave. Yacoub El Mansour, Marrakech
jardinmajorelle@menara.ma
www.Jardinmajorelle.com
Tel: +212(0)524313047
