Haute couture, as a character in “The Devil Wears Prada” pointed out, influences what everyone wears, from New York chambermaids to Paris socialites to edgy Japanese teenagers. It might seem like the industry has been around since humans started wearing clothes, but in fact, couture as we know it is only a few generations old. There’s a smooth line of transition from Charles Frederick Worth in the late 19th century, to Christian Dior in the 20th, and Yves Saint Laurent after him. Designers seem like fascinating people — books and films have been made from the complicated life of Coco Chanel, for example. But perhaps none are so poetic and charming as Yves Saint Laurent, as Pierre Thoretton’s stunning documentary reveals.
Most of his story is told by Pierre Berge, his long-time lover and partner in the House of YSL. Saint Laurent died in 2008, at the age of 71, but it seems unlikely he would have happily participated in a documentary. As a friend notes in the film, this genius who became famous for rumored cocaine binges at Studio 54, was “pathologically shy.” There can be no doubt he was a genius: He was just 21 when he succeeded Dior, who died in 1957 at just 52. His first collection was a triumph, and after an interval of military service in Algeria — where he was born — he, Berge, and an American backer founded the House of Yves Saint Laurent.
| On screen |
| ‘L’amour fou’ |
| 4.5 out of 5 stars |
| Stars: Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Berge |
| Director: Pierre Thoretton |
| Rated: Not rated (suitable for all audiences) |
| Running time: 103 minutes |
“I tell myself that I have created the modern woman’s wardrobe, that I have taken part in the transformation of my times,” Saint Laurent says in his speech announcing his retirement. Women now wear pants suits and tuxedos because of him. He wanted not to just make women more beautiful, but to allow them to assert themselves. He was a poetic speaker and a thoughtful man, influenced by Proust and the masterpieces he and Berge surrounded themselves with. Berge seems just as interesting, speaking movingly of the love of his life and explaining his rise and fall, and then rebirth.
Documentaries often look like the works of amateurs. Their makers seem to think the story is enough, and that a well-made film isn’t necessary to communicate. “L’amour fou” is as elegant as the revolutionary suits Yves Saint Laurent put us in.
