Paris. Yves Saint Laurent

“Fashion fades, style is eternal.” – Yves Saint Laurent

Just two years after the death of Yves Saint Laurent the recently renovated Petit Palais is showing a major retrospective of the master of couture’s work. Saint Laurent is known for revolutionizing women’s wear, including the creation of the safari jacket and the smoking jacket tailored to the feminine form, which he believed to be an essential part of any stylish woman’s wardrobe.

The exhibition organized by his long time partner Pierre Berge, and the Pierre Berge – Yves Saint Laurent Foundation. 307 individual items are featured in the retrospective, starting from 1958. With 15 rooms of fashions to explore, it’s good to give yourself at least an afternoon. The exhibition includes some artist inspired pieces, such as the Piet Mondrian influenced collection from 1965.

Women, and the feminine power and beauty of women, was a major source of Saint Laurent’s inspiration. He changed women’s wear by transferring the power of men to women by drawing on aspects of men’s wear for his collections.

The exhibition isn’t without scandal, as revelations of drug use and Saint Laurent’s short temper were revealed in a recently published biography, however, the assertions don’t dampen the genius of the designer or his timeless creations. The retrospective runs through August 29, 2010.

Immerse yourself in a world of tranquil beauty by booking a room at the Hotel des Academies et des Arts on Paris’s inspiring Rive Gauche. From July 23rd through August 29th the hotel is offering a special rate of 4 nights for the price of 3. That’ll give you plenty of time to check out the exhibition and enjoy leisurely strolls exploring the enchanting city of lights.

More information about the exhibition available at the Yves Saint Laurent Retrospective website. www.yslretrospective.com