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Journalism of Courage
A new era opens at the house of Yves Saint Laurent on Monday when for the first time, after 33 years of acclaim, its collection will be signed by another designer than its founder. Alber Elbaz, a 37-year-old Israeli American, was selected by Saint Laurent’s right-hand man Pierre Berge, a few months ago to shoulder the burden of the ready-to-wear lines, leaving the house’s reclusive 63-year-old couturier to concentrate on haute couture.
“It is a very important date, a major turning point,” Berge said, admitting that he had given his protege some tips on how to handle the awesome task. “I told him first of all that he must not work to please the press, that he had been taken on above all to please Yves Saint Laurent and myself, and even more important than that, to live up to the expectations of this house, which has a culture all of its own,” he said.
“He must be seen as Saint Laurent’s successor.” On style, Berge reminded him that it is “not just any woman who dresses herself in Saint Laurent”.The sort of woman he should have in mind is “active, modern, who has fought all the battles of her generation and is gearing up for the 21st century”.
For Berge there are only two great couturiers, Coco Chanel “who liberated women” and Saint Laurent “who gave her power”. The others are merely “ornamenters”. But if Elbaz has had to take some advice on the fundamentals’ he has been left entirely free as to the creative form he gives them.
To take over from a living legend is no mean feat and his designs are being kept a closely guarded secret ahead of Monday’s catwalk show. All anyone is prepared to say is that Saint Laurent has seen a dozen of them and expressed his “great admiration for their professionalism”.
“It’s like early Saint Laurent,” says Berge. Digging around in the archives, the young designer has unearthed a rich mine of inspiration in the designer’s inventions — from early versions of the signature transparent blouse to footwear, which he has re-designed for today.
“Thereare so many little gems which Saint Laurent has used once and never gone back to, and which have been successfully exploited by other houses,” says Berge.
Elbaz, who sharpened his scissors under Geoffrey Beene in the United States, has signed a contract for five years with Saint Laurent after putting the ailing house of Guy Laroche back on the fashion map.
The house of Saint Laurent, which is owned by Sanofi, is currently up for sale. Negotiations with the world luxury leader Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy late last year foundered.
Its turnover is around 3 billion francs, of which around 600 million francs is accounted for by the fashion side of the business. “I would like the sale to be concluded as soon as possible, with whomever it is, but I sincerely hope that Saint Laurent remains French,” Berge said.
Last year was one of major upheaval at Saint Laurent, not only the arrival of Alber Elbaz and that of Hedi Slimane to design the menswear, but above all, the founder’s momentous decision to dedicatehimself exclusively to couture. “I’ve often seen him (Saint Laurent) on the point of giving up and then at last, the collection is finished. Yves is someone who finds life very difficult. Creating two haute collections a year gives him a reason for going on living, I think that will last a few years yet,” Berge says.
One-time maverick Jaen-Paul Gaultier has often been singled out by the press as the most likely potential successor to Saint Laurent, but Berge refuses to give any credence to the rumours.
“There is a world of difference between Gaultier and Saint Laurent,” he insists, “Saint Laurent, he’s like a piece of material that looks as if it is being held up by thin air, a kind of magic,” he gestures dismissively. The great couturier will not be present at the show. Having assured himself that Elbaz is ready and examined all his designs, he has left Paris, discreetly.
