140 - Yves SAINT-LAURENT (1936–2008)

Yves SAINT-LAURENT (1936–2008) Marrakech, 1971. Personal diary entries from February 11 to August 18, 1971, in a 16-page notebook (32 x 24 cm) featuring 9 drawings. On January 29, 1971, Yves Saint Laurent unveiled the collection known as “Libération” or “Quarante,” inspired by the fashion of occupied Paris. Heavily criticized by the press, the collection caused a scandal. In February, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé left France and took refuge at their estate, Dar el-hanch, which means “House of the Snake” in Arabic. The fashion designer drew a large snake on the wall of their dining room and repeated this motif in his letters and greeting cards. In this journal, Yves Saint-Laurent expresses his love for the place and reflects on the scandal caused by his latest collection. “Suddenly, around a street corner, right in the middle of the city, an expanse of an emerald-colored field dotted with palm trees unfolds before you. It is the palm grove entering the city, winding its way through the pink houses and mosques, and nothing is more restful or exhilarating than this patch of greenery, this slice of oasis (...). A serene peace hovers above you; the ultramarine sky and the verdant plain blend their vibrant, exhilarating colors, and the spell takes hold. You are enchanted.” (...) "Today, Saturday, February 13, 1971, we scoured the souks. We bought about twenty tables, chests, and rugs. The house is starting to look really beautiful. A hideaway. Ali Baba’s cave." (...) "Monday, February 15, 1971. Received some comforting letters following the scandal surrounding my latest collection, which the press, buyers, and part of the public didn’t understand at all. Diane Vreeland wrote me a wonderful letter (...)". "Wednesday, February 17, 1971. Lunch at Bill’s new house. An ultra-homosexual atmosphere (...). Feeling a bit feverish, I stayed in bed reading a fascinating biography of Cocteau. A fabulous account of the Ballets Russes, *The Bull on the Roof*, and the artistic life of the 1920s and 1930s. One is dying to live that way, surrounded by sublime people (Picasso, Stravinsky, Diaghilev, Nijinsky, Satie, Chanel, Valentine and Jean Hugo, etc.…)." Folds, stains, and foxing. Provenance: Donated by Pierre Bergé. Private collection. Then passed down through the family.