Yves Saint Laurent and Photography

Yves Saint Laurent and his designs, as captured by the greatest photographers of the 20th century

Yves Saint Laurent collaborated with some of the greatest photographers of the 20th century. For over four decades, until the closing of his fashion house in 2002, Saint Laurent and his creations were captured by cutting-edge photographers – including such legends as Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, David Bailey, Helmut Newton, William Klein, Sarah Moon, Annie Leibovitz, Paolo Roversi, and Juergen Teller – resulting in iconic pictures that helped shape his own image as well as that of his brand.

Yves Saint Laurent and Photography shines new light on the world of the genius couturier, tracing both the course of fashion and the history of 20th–century photography. This beautifully designed book features an astonishing range of imagery: breathtaking fashion photographs of subjects such as Audrey Hepburn, Catherine Deneuve, Naomi Campbell, and Kate Moss; portraits of Saint Laurent; and never-before-seen archival documents, all packaged in a luxe oversized volume.

Review

‘An elegantly produced homage.’ – Kirkus

‘Shows just how much Yves Saint Laurent loved the camera.’ – W Magazine

‘An intimate glimpse into his long time passion for photography and close relationship with some of the art world’s most acclaimed talents.’ – Galerie

‘From studio portraits to runway documentation, the book captures the evolution of a house―and an image.’ – PALMER

‘Complete and tasteful … an important homage to many of these stalwart designs, where a throughline can be traced to the designs of today.’ – NUVO Magazine

‘You’ll find some of the most iconic fashion images of the 20th century. Images so recognizable and potent they have become part of the pop cultural visual language.’ – Style Zeitgeist

‘An ideal coffee table addition―equal parts art, history, and glamour―inviting endless browsing and conversation.’ – L’Officiel

‘Mesmerizing and wonderful…An extraordinary anthology of images revolving around the YSL fashion house, but decidedly and successfully focused on photography.’ – FRAMES

‘Catches the charisma, yes, but also reminds us of the aspirational fashion photos, in magazines such as Vogue and L’Officiel, that once inspired the boy from Oran, Algeria, to imagine himself among them.’ – Air Mail

About the Author

Madison Cox is the president of the Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent and of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris.

Christoph Wiesner is the director of the Rencontres d’Arles photo festival.

Elsa Janssen is the director of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris.

Simon Baker is the director of the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, and curator of several photography exhibitions.

Serena Bucalo-Mussely is a curator and head of collections at the Musée Yves Saint Laurent.

Alice Morin is a doctor in American Studies, specializing in the history of media and photography.

Clémentine Cuinet is a photographic collection manager at the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris.