My first impression of Stefano Pilati's Fall 2010 Yves Saint Laurent collection was pretty hilarious. It occurred while riding in a taxi with my dear friend Kenya and a new and dear friend, Claire of The Fashion Bomb. I had picked up the two gorgeous ladies post show at the Grand Palais. Super-curious to learn what Mr. Pilati had proposed, I greeted them with a line of questions. A summary of the responses: Kenya: Austere, covered up, and plastic capes. Claire: References to the habit. My conclusion: Hmm, a fashionable nun with a prophylactic cape. What is Stefano trying to protect us from? I know, totally crazy right? But, that day had been a particularly cold day in Paris; and I guess my mind had been trying to absorb all of the recent natural disasters. The plastic cape seemed like the most appropriate and fashionable means of self-preservation.
After viewing the collection on style.com, I was able to confirm the observations of my two fashionable taxi companions. The collection is indeed a nod to austerity with a theme of rigid covering. And there is an allusion to the habit by the way of layering two of the collection's key pieces, the floppy hat and the cape. Plus, the gold chains worn by the models are reminiscent of the rosaries worn by nuns- on a larger and more material scale of course. In style.com's video coverage of the show, Mr. Pilati shares that he had been flipping through magazines from the seventies and cut out all the YSL images and had them made into medallions. So my theory is that with his pseudo-order of seventies-styled nuns, Mr. Pilati is playing homage to and guarding the heritage of the label's founder. It would be a lovely gesture given that the Yves Saint Laurent Retrospective opened a few days after the runway show, and just across the street at the Petit Palais.
And the plastic cape? It's fashionable and fierce! And since we have once again become fur friendly, it is a genius way to protect not only ourselves, as Mr. Pilati notes in the style.com video, but also our sable.
Accessories note: I love these electric blue, mohawk pumps. On the list!
**All images courtesy of style.com**
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