Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Inside Le Smoking, The First Suit for Women from Yves Saint Laurent

Inside Le Smoking, The First Suit for Women from Yves Saint Laurent

As a designer with a great love for women, Yves Saint Laurent was the first name to introduce suits to its female customers, replacing the usual gorgeo

With experience working under Christian Dior and a firm belief that women should feel empowered by the clothes they choose for themselves, French designer Yves Saint Laurent founded his own brand in 1961.

In 1966, despite the barriers and French social prejudice that women should not appear with long pants in public, Yves still launched a black suit design with plaid accents or combination. satin silk fabric, complete suit when worn with a stylized white collar shirt. These luxurious designs have since been known as “Le Smoking”.



Outfit taken by fashion photographer Helmut Newton, Paris, 1975

The reaction of fashionistas to Yves Saint Laurent's design has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, this is a very trendy and novel suit design with a neat cut and a "standard" shape. However, in the Western cultural context in 1966, "Le Smoking" was not popular with the regular masses who were familiar with the old, formal lifestyle.

It was strange that a high fashion designer, who was once attached to the king of feminine fashion and evening gowns Christian Dior, had launched a suit design as a new option for women's "eveningwear". Even at a few luxury restaurants at that time, women wearing suits were refused service by employees and managers.



One of the first Le Smoking designs was completed in 1966

Despite the criticism from the public, the "Le Smoking" suits escaped from the conservative 60s and entered the 70s with a new generation and a more open fashion mindset. Actress Bianca Jagger has chosen to associate her personal image with suits; the costume has become one of Jagger's typical dress styles. Along with her wedding that took place in 1971, the actress continued to assert herself as a monument in YSL's design when choosing a white blazer and pencil skirt as her wedding "dress".



Bride Bianca Jagger in YSL



Thus, "Le Smoking" brings about a significant change in the absurd gender regulations of fashion. The gender openness and flexibility we are receiving today is the result of the ceaseless struggle and creativity from the previous generation.

Besides, "Le Smoking" exists as a symbol of timeless designs, citing Yves Saint Laurent's famous saying when he creatively evaluated his women's suits: "It is about style, not fashion. Fashions come and go, but style is forever.”



Bianca Jagger



Cara Delevigne in the 2013 YSL Baby Doll promotional campaign



Danielle Sauvajeon in Le Smoking and shorts, paired with a see-through shirt - another classic from YSL, Paris, 1968

To clarify the adjective "style" of the "Le Smoking" suits, Yves Saint Laurent's companion, businessman Pierre Bergé expressed: "If Gabrielle Chanel brings women to freedom, Yves Saint Laurent gives women freedom - gives them power”. The design of "Le Smoking" at that time was a costume of rebellion, not afraid to openly challenge stereotypes about contemporary male and female roles and positions.

The suits became one of the highlights of a series of collections from YSL until 2002, when the fashion house had to say goodbye to the haute couture line. However, "Le Smoking" is still a name associated with the brand and when the fashion house received the takeover of creative director Hedi Slimane in 2012, this classic design had the opportunity to return and continue to be popular. flourishing at the present time under the guidance of Anthony Vaccarello.



Saint Laurent Ready-To-Wear Spring Summer 2020

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
×