Fashion Within the Walls of France
Yves Saint Laurent:
Pictured here are some of the amazing designs from Yves Saint Laurent. This was one of my favorite moments from the work space of Yves Saint Laurent. These dresses that are pictured, evolved during the fall/winter of 1965-1966. The texture of the fabric was wool. Yves Saint Laurent discovered that this flat plane dress would make history for being so simple but yet so stylish. When watching the films in the beginning of the semester on Yves Saint Laurent and chosen style of work, I learned that he was a very determined man. Yves Saint Laurent happened to be one of my favorite topics that was discussed for the duration of this class. I quickly learned the determination of Yves. He did not let his mental health stop him from being great, and I truly can attest to that because I do understand what an artist can undergo while trying to create their masterpieces.
Yves Saint Laurent was known as one of the most influential European fashion designers who impacted fashion from the 1960s, until now. During his teenage years, I learned he made dresses for his mother and sister. Before he began designing dresses for his mom and sister, he used to create paper dolls. Who knew that a young Algerian boy that made paper dolls in his free time would become one of the most famous, yet influential fashion designer in the world? Learning about Saint Laurent in this course provided me with a better understanding of what an artist was. The effort and time put in to design a dress, set it on a model, and continue working on other pieces all at once. We had the opportunity to watch a film entitled “Yves Saint Laurent: His Life and Times,” by David Teboul. I absolutely thought this movie provided me with a clear view of what his life was like during his work. I truly admired his performance in his work place, determination, and perseverance. I thought that he had the attitude of someone who did not believe in themselves. I also noticed that he was extremely independent, and if he began to struggle, he would endure the pain on his own without seeking help from outsiders. Yves embodied excellence and he adored the look of African-American models. During our visit in France, we had the opportunity to visit Le Musée Yves Saint Laurent. It was amazing being able to see his original workspace, in the way he left it.
Chanel, a brand who was known as the epitome of haute couture. Coco was known for her timeless designs. The name Chanel has a power, and a look that was like Chanel could be imitated but never recreated. I believe that her growing up in an orphanage and receiving the opportunity to learn to sew allowed her to get an early start to her career. She was a woman of many opinions. Her love life was quite interesting. She had many lovers. She was Nazi affiliated. The roaring 20’s, 40’s, and 50’s golden age of Hollywood have always been to eras I have adored the fashion of. I found it interesting to see how many designers contributed to the women’s wear in the 1920’s wo other than Chanel, and how many other people’s innovations are credited to her because she made them popular. We watched a document on Coco’s life, and it struck me how little I had previously known about Chanel as a person. For so long I had only been familiar with her brand, and had seen her mentioned only in passing. Interestingly enough, when I had heard about her as a person, it was always in the context of her being some kind of feminist icon, but from watching the film it seems like nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, she designed clothes that women could actually feel comfortable in, a revolutionary idea at the time, but it also seems as if she designed clothes not for the enjoyment of women but for men. Listening to her talk about how women were unhappy because no man loved them was particularly indicative of this regressive idea. It was interesting to see how someone whose work was so revolutionary for so many women was herself rather stuck in the ideas of the past. It was also jarring to see how the documentary completely passed over her antisemitism, as well as her time spying for the Nazis. That to me seemed indicative of how we treat historical figures, too often glossing over and whitewashing the unsavory truths of their lives. The documentary was, in all, an interesting mix of details of Chanel’s works and harsh realities about her personal life, making her a fascinating figure to study, if not emulate.Coco Chanel was, in my eyes, as morally ambiguous as she was ambitious. While it would be ignorant to condone every action she ever made or word she said, especially in her old age, it would be unfair and unwise to discredit her and the brand she established.
When Yves Saint Laurent created this look, he looked for his inspiration from Russia. He was inspired by the Matryoshka nesting doll. It was interesting to learn information about the nesting dolls. When first seeing this dress in Le Musée Yves Saint Laurent I was thinking why on earth would someone make a dress where there is really no usage of the arms. I thought that when he created this bridal dress to close out one of his fashion shows, it took the close-out to another level. I took the time to find out more about this Russian nesting doll, that inspired Saint Laurent. The first Matryoshka nesting doll was designed in 1892 by Vasilij Petrovič Zvézdočkin, who was a craftsman of the “Childhood studio,” that was created by Savva Ivanovič Mamontov, a famous nesting doll collector. Learning about the symbolic meaning was most influential to me. Being that the Matryoshka is made by different dolls, the largest doll is called “mother”, the smaller one is called seed. The larger doll represents a strong female matriarch who is normally the main symbol of the Russian family. The “mother” doll is able to fit inside other little dolls, which were made to represent sons and daughters. This is why the Russian doll Matryoshka represents motherhood and fertility. This doll is a symbol of Russia also. The nesting doll can also represent life. We are made up like the mother nesting doll: big with other things inside of it. Our stories, relationships, and even our experiences. It was quite interesting learning about why Yves Saint Laurent created such an interesting dress, but I was thankful to further my knowledge about the nesting doll.
Agnes Scott College is built on a special curriculum called Summit. The Class of 2022 had the opportunity to visit over 16 different countries, and experience different cultures. Summit is Agnes Scott’s initiative to generate the qualities of leadership and global awareness within their curriculum, which creates a unique perspective in the classroom. Giving students the opportunity to have a broader view of the world and how this can translate in a classroom. This semester I took a course called GBL 102. This course introduced global structures, systems and processes and connect them to a wonderful immersion experience. Along with 19 other freshmen, I had the opportunity to further my knowledge in my interest of Fashion. I will say it was a wonderful experience. During the coursework, we examined a plethora of global themes: Capitalism, Fashion, and Ethics through common readings, dialogue, and small-group discussions. In my opinion, I was able to evaluate critical assumptions surrounding global issues in a totally different way, then when I first started the course. I am truly thankful for this course and what it had to offer. My experience in France was quite different of course, but it was eye-opening. I loved being able to experience how another country operates. I am also thankful for this curriculum that Agnes Scott has put in place, to further our knowledge in global awareness.
