Yves Saint Laurent: Valentino

Episode of Series “The Designers”.
Yves Saint Laurent: Follows the career of renowned French designer Yves Saint Laurent, heralding him as the master of modern couture. The course of fashion was set by Saint Laurent as he became one of the first designers to allow the streets to bear direct influence on his collections. Runway shows from throughout the designer’s career, from his heading of Dior at the age of just 22, to the late ‘90’s, illustrate the longevity of his signature pieces, such as the controversial see-through blouse. Saint Laurent’s long association with French actress Catherine Deneuve is highlighted in interviews and photography. Other interviews include those with the designer himself, and with Jean Loup Sieff and Phillip Miller. “Valentino”: Extensive interviews with the Italian designer Valentino reveal his design philosophy and his beginnings at the age of seventeen. Working for Jean Desse and then Guy Laroche, Valentino quickly established a reputation for himself as a talented designer of women’s fashion. At the time of production the designer’s business was generating $600 million a year in couture and associated lines such as fragrances and accessories. The signatures of the Valentino design are explored, including his all white collections, his prominent use of black and white and the bow. Interviews with a plethora of celebrities including Christy Turlington, Sophia Loren, Sylvester Stallone, Bette Midler and Brooke Shields culminate in a review of the 1991 Park Avenue Armory Valentino exhibition. Valentino is portrayed as a ‘slave to perfection’, and the unchallenged leader of Italian fashion.