Body of Work

 

The utilitarian appeal of the safari jacket. The gender-fluid sex appeal of the le smoking suit. The elevation of youth culture out of the street and onto the runway. It’s practically impossible to consider fashion today without feeling the influence of Yves Saint Laurent. Starting May 6, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will present the retrospective “Yves Saint Laurent: The Perfection of Style.” Culled primarily from the archives of the Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent and spanning the years from Saint Laurent’s start as Christian Dior’s protégé through to his final runway show in 2002, the collection of clothing, sketches, and photographs is a staggering tribute to the iconic couturier.