With 44 years of hindsight, the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent reflects on the designer’s 1971 collection, vilified by the press for its references to occupied France during the war. Scandal!

Here’s all the info.

Ten years after creating his maison de couture, in 1971, Yves Saint Laurent shook up the rather conservative world of fashion. His presentation of 80 dresses was seen by 180 guests and they were far from won over. Some said that he showed misplaced nostalgia for an era had hadn’t even known, namely the Second World War.

Even the name of the collection “Libération” shocked certain.
Back then, hippies were cool, war was definitely not, and the fashion that it spawned was seen as utilitarian and frumpy.

Now, looking back, we can better appreciate the clean lines influenced by male fashions, a certain discrete elegance… and the courage of Yves Saint Laurent  – only 35 years old at the time – who wasn’t afraid to surprise and shock.
To complete your knowledge about the collection, some conferences are being organised around the exhibition, and an official catalogue is being published by Flammarion (176 pages, 30 € here at amazon.fr).

The exhibition Yves Saint Laurent 1971 – La collection du scandale (The scandalous collection) is at the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent (here) from 19th March – 19th July 2015

Open every day except Mondays from 11am – 6pm (last ticket 5.30pm)

Admission: 7€ / 5€

Website: www.fondation-pb-ysl.net

Facebook: facebook.com/fondation.pb.ysl

Twitter: twitter.com/FondationPBYSL

French speakers can click the image below to take a look at the press release for the exhibition.