Yves Saint Laurent was one of the most important figures in modern fashion. Recognized as a creative genius at a young age, he became Christian Dior’s assistant at the age of seventeen and head designer at the age of twenty-one when Dior himself died. Later, Saint Laurent would go on to found his eponymous fashion house and dedicate himself to designing clothes for the modern woman which were both stylish and comfortable.
In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent shocked the fashion world by introducing a tuxedo for women, which he called “Le Smoking.” Tuxedos had been exclusively the domain of male wearers and were originally designed to protect men’s clothes from the smell of smoke.
This entertaining graphic novel tells the story of YSL’s tuxedo for women and the colorful and rebellious women who initially wore it, particularly Betty Catroux, his lifelong muse. Taking the form of a dreamlike journey through New York City, it opens the world of Yves Saint Laurent to readers via encounters with such figures as Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, Christian Dior, and Paul Poiret, contrasting their styles with those of Yves Saint Laurent.
The story includes a wide range of models, artists, writers, and thinkers recounting how Saint Laurent’s iconic garment initially scandalized and then spurred the evolution of modern women’s fashion. The result is a compelling story for anyone interested in the history of fashion and the revolutionary style of Yves Saint Laurent.
Reviews
A sunny ramble through fashion history… The narrative is primarily concerned with the ideas driving Saint Laurent, but dips occasionally into the material of a traditional biography, touching on his background and visiting his atelier... The characters saunter through collages of line art, color daubs, swaths of thick black brushwork, and photorealistic backgrounds varied with impressionistic scenes suggestive of mood boards. It’s a smart, unconventional portrait of an artist, with enough style to do its subject justice.
— Publishers Weekly
This graphic novel goes beyond the history of Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic Le Smoking women’s tuxedo [and discusses] the history of gendered clothing, touching on subjects like pockets, priests’ robes, Scottish kilts, samurai skirt–like trousers, commedia dell’arte pantaloons, and so much more… These moments are all rendered in inks and watercolors reminiscent of René Bouché and other midcentury-couture illustrators, stitching together this wonderfully told fashion history told by two close-knit friends.
— Booklist
Contributors
Loo Hui Phang
Author
Loo Hui Phang is a comics writer, playwright, and film director. She is the coauthor of Panorama and Prestige de l’uniforme. Born in Laos, she grew up in Normandy, France. In 2023, Phang and Bachelier collaborated on Oliphant, a graphic novel, set in Antarctica in 1916.
Benjamin Bachelier
Illustrated By
Benjamin Bachelier is a comic book illustrator and painter based in Nantes, France. In 2023, Phang and Bachelier collaborated on Oliphant, a graphic novel, set in Antarctica in 1916.
