Paris in the days of Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent always used to  say "I have been a stay-at-home traveller for the most part, which helped develop my imagination". The fashion designer mainly cultivated his imagination in Paris by simply being in the capital during the sixities and seventies. Follow the footsteps of the iconic designer to learn about his life and heaps of historical anecdotes. 

"This street and just I fell in love with one another" 

Starting where it all began in Avenue Montaigne, near the Champs-Elysées and the Hôtel du rond-point des Champs-Elysées. This is where the House of Dior first opened in 1946, at number 32 of the ultra chic avenue  to be precise, in the 8th disctrict. At the end of the 50s, Yves Saint Laurent was already Christian Dior's assistant, before becoming the famous brand's head designer. He founded his own house in the early 60s and the stort of his success from then on is history. A little further down to number 12. Now if this building could talk, it could tell us what actress Marlène Dietrich, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran and Prince Rainier of Monaco, to name but a few, got up to when they stayed here! 

Next on to 30 bis, Rue Spontini, in the 16th district. Try to picture the scene –  YSL's first collection was presented in this very house in 1962! The collection in question included first-timers such as was the double-breasted pea coat, the trench coat and Le Smoking tuxedo suit for women which are all iconic today. The fashion house moved into another town house, this time of Second Empire architecture, on Avenue Marceau in 1974. Today it is the YSL Paris museum retracing the designer's work with premanent retrospectivee exhibits and theme exhibitions.
Time for a little break at Chez Prunier, Avenue Victor Hugo, where Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé were regular patrons. The prestigious restaurant with its green mosaic facade was designed by some of the best names in Art Deco (Paul Binet, Alexandre Labouret, and Mathurin Méheut). It was also used to shoot scenes for Yves Saint Laurent (released in 2014). While you are here, try ouyt the restaurant's specialty : baguette & caviar.  

A gentle, digestive stroll towards the 6th district, near the Luxembourg gardens to see number 21, Rue Tournon. This was the first rive gauche YSL store which opened in 1966 with Catherine Deneuve present for the occasion. Make the most of your time in the street to enjoy the superb caryatids and columns of the building at number 8, which are listed historical monuments. To say that Yves Saint Laurent was a great lover would be an understatement. To see the extent of his passion, our tour ends at 55 Rue de Babylone, at the flat where the designer and Pierre Bergé lived from the end of the 70s to 2008. An incredible collection of master pieces –painting, sculptures and furniture by Goya, Andy Wharol, Matisse and Mondrian are concealed inside the 6,460 sq ft duplex. Then go outside to the massive 4,300 sq ft private garden, which is very shooting as after all, this is where YSL used to come for inspiration and sketch ideas among century-old trees.

To end the outing, back to where Yves Saint Laurent started out. Have a drink at the Rond-Point restaurant in the 8th district, right next to the Hôtel du Rond-point des Champs-Elysées. Actors working at the Rond-Point theatre next door are often there !