Le Smoking Forever

another reason why i love Paris...because when Yves Saint Laurent, fashion maestro, died on Sunday at age 71 after a battle with brain cancer, tributes poured in from the president, and of course from Sarko's model wife Carla Bruni (who once catwalked for Saint Laurent), and from the Culture Minister...i love the fact that fashion is a crucial part of French culture, and that culture is recognized as a crucial aspect of life.

Saint Laurent was born in Algeria; when he was only 19, he was designing for the house of Dior & took over the house at 21, when his mentor suddenly died of a heart attack. soon Saint Laurent struck out on his own...creating perfumes, dressing 70s party people, & 80s power people, & 90s actresses, & on & on, generally being gorgeously difficult & very much himself.
Pierre Berge, his long-time business partner, called him a libertarian & an anarchist (another reason i love Paris: these terms are actually compliments). with Saint Laurent gone, it seems like the spirit of crazy party 70s are finally gone forever. the only answer is to put on our very best tuxedo suits & slink down Sherbrooke Street to Montreal's Museum of Fine Arts for the retrospective that runs until September...