A designer synonymous with elegance, glamour and style, Yves Saint Laurent is most famous for his 1966 ‘Le Smoking’ tuxedo suit, in which he masculinised the female wardrobe; a revolutionary move. Lesser known are his Love illustrations, which
A designer synonymous with elegance, glamour and style, Yves Saint Laurent is most famous for his 1966 ‘Le Smoking’ tuxedo suit, in which he masculinised the female wardrobe; a revolutionary move. Lesser known are his Love illustrations, which originated in the 1970s and were drawn on New Year’s cards for close family and friends. Spanning three decades, each beautifully vivid and intricate design incorporates the word 'LOVE' and perfectly represents Saint Laurent’s wonderful imagination and creativity. This week one of these very illustrations – YSL 1974 Love drawing – was the Most Loved post on the AnOther Loves stream posted by Russian-based Nikolay Krasavin.
How did you come across this illustration by Yves Saint Laurent?
One of my best friends took this picture at home after he bought the artwork at an exhibition on Yves Saint Laurent’s life and the garments he created in Paris.
Why did you decide to Love it?
I mostly like simple drawings and I think that YSL is one of the best logos in the fashion industry – clean, easy, but beautiful. This illustration has all these aspects too and I find it very inspiring.
What is your favourite Yves Saint Laurent piece and why?
I'm a big fan. I particularly like the African and Russian inspirations in Saint Laurent's work and I love the fact that even though he was a rebel in the fashion industry at the time, he always admired and worked with the beauty of women. Le Smoking tuxedo suit for women of course – it looks incredibly sexy and chic.
Are there any artworks you wish to own?
Daria Usova’s art.
What would be your dream product?
A Leica S2.
What was the last thing you bought?
An Acne white leather motorcycle jacket painted black, which I then washed in the washing machine to give it a more distressed look. Now it’s the perfect biker jacket.
What is your favourite online shop?
That's a tough call, I can't decide between: net-a-porter.com, farfetch.com, shopbob.com and revolveclothing.com.
Text by Lucia Davies
