very hard to resist this bio-pic from last year despite critics
french for one and also a follow-up in a sense to another film
'dior and i' seen recently providing a memorable fashion lesson
this film opens this century with artworks being packed into boxes
the boxes labelled 'christies' and a voiceover is explaining the scene
the narrator is pierre berge - the lifelong partner of yves saint-laurant
he can no longer abide looking at the things they collected together
cut right back to 1955 (announced) and a young yves seen drawing
in his late teens living in his native algeria and designing clothing
affluent parents then able to facilitate his relocation to study in paris
and a connection then to employment and tutelage by christian dior
memories of the earlier film about christian dior segueing well here
initial success for yves with the dior label fading with his radicalism
and a suggested drafting into the armed forces a convenient excuse
his sexuality leads to harassment in the military and then depression
he is also then sacked by christian dior - pierre berge to the rescue
yves' lover then successfully sues the label for wrongful dismissal
with the large payout and another investor they start the ysl label
all very engrossing actually - and to my eyes all very nicely done
enough footage in paris to aid authenticity and also self-interest
the depiction of showings of their collections very well presented
not only the designs being modeled but the names being dropped
don't let helena rubenstein and elizabeth arden be seated together
they hate each other - seems genuine enough - this is 1960s paris
as the money rolls in it is clear that pierre has the business head
leaving yves to indulge himself in design and serious partying
he grows a beard and his hair but the trademark glasses remain
it all seems quite naturally done - the ageing and the lifestyle
drugs of course are on tap with the nouveau riche of this time
and to my eyes shown in the mix without favour or judgement
karl lagerfield is part of the scene and his lover switches camp
yves informs pierre he loves him - but you are the love of my life
pierre then spitefully having his way with yves' closest girlfriend
so all the money, sex, drugs, fashion, music, etc a heady mixture
a relocation then to marrakech by yves and pierre for time out
friends follow and are made with partying in an exotic location
all the while pierre fully indulging yves - even with his family
yves not aware that money and cars, etc are provided for them
historically the film seems to be wanting to be fully accurate
showing the move by ysl from haute couture to ready-to-wear
hugely successful particularly in america hence the wealth
and the large art collection accumulated by pierre and yves
in the final scenes an elderly pierre addresses a seated yves
that is a beautiful dress - a drawing - doing what he loved
but then ghost-like he is gone - this representing his death
nicely done - matching the rest of the film in my opinion
unlike the bulk of the reviewers who generally panned it
not enough depth - no insight - too indulgent, etc, etc
and so again - damn the experts - high points from me...
