If you get the chance do visit YSL's studio in Paris. It's a 'private' tour(1 hr 13,50 €/pers) so you must book ahead and it's offered only a few times per month.
We met outside at 4pm the Pierre Berge Fondation 5 avenue Marceau 75016
Checking in at reception. There were about 20 of us. The guide mostly spoke French but gave 3 of us a mini synopses of what was what.
The walls are covered with wash drawings by witty artist Christian Berard, a friend of YSL
Then up to the designer's working studio. Here YSL sketching on the floor with his French bulldog, Moujik ever by his side.
It's quite a thrill to stand in this reknown designer's studio believe me. The wall behind us was floor-to-ceiling windows letting in gorgeous light.
A stolen closeup of a beaded jacket. Of course no photos are allowed during the visit. Do not mention my name if you go. Doodly-doodly-do
Our guide shows us sample muslins - the first step in the design process. When I attended Parsons School of Design my muslins were OUTSTANDING.
Outstandingly horrid - badly-pressed with breakfast stains on them.
LOOK!
I asked the guide what number lead pencil YSL used and quick as wink she told me,
'Number 2 pencil'
I use a number 6B, but I still feel almost joined at the hip with cher YSL...
We then descended to the bibliotheque where 5,000+ of YSL's design sketches are preserved in an orderly fashion, year by year, collection by collection.
While the rest of the group went off to the see the current Japanese Kimono exhibit, I high tailed it to the little gift shop loaded with fun, pas cher goodies (none of them wearable malheureusment)
I bought the Warhol print of Mujik and the latest cahier de coloriage/YSL coloring book (see first picture above).
His sketches so the collection, YSL Style with swatches included on the sketch pages always inspire me.
You won't find Alice Drake's The Beautiful Fall at the YSL gift shop. And no wonder. It's loaded with all the naughtiness/betises YSL, Karl and the gang in the wild '60's indulged in. No detail is left out, still I love Drake's writing. She makes you feel you're there at the table downing a coup with Yves and the rest of them.
Here's a snipet about Yves childhood in Algiers- totally enthralling.
The high point of my visit/trip was when the current 'Moujik' came bouncing out the front door. The guards kindly called him back to pose for a picture and a bit of petting. I think I'm in love.
Moujik je t'aime...
