Style > Fashion |
Fashion on Film
February 26, 2016 / by Scarlett Thomas
France has long been known as the birthplace and home of many of the world’s most stylish and creative people. When two of the country’s most recognisable icons, actress Catherine Deneuve and designer Yves Saint Laurent, brought the silver screen and the fashion arena together, they became an indomitable force that continues to exert its influence today.
It's been nearly 50 years since Deneuve’s career took a pivotal turn as she was cast in the leading role of Luis Buñuel’s cult classic Belle de Jour. In the 1967 film, the actress plays Séverine, a bourgeoisie wife who passes her afternoons as a call girl in a high-end Parisian brothel.
At a time when miniskirts were all the rage, Saint Laurent’s pioneering idea to style her in flattering knee-length dresses with matching tailored jackets or double-breasted military-style coats was poignant and struck a chord with audiences. It played up the concept of the character’s secret double-life and helped immortalise Deneuve as the epitome of elegant French femininity.
Séverine’s wardrobe choices continue to inspire contemporary fashion designers, from her vinyl trench coat, fur-trimmed double-breasted coat and camel-coloured shirt dress to her black Peter Pan dress, reminiscent of 1930s Chanel. French shoe designer Roger Vivier was a favourite choice of Saint Laurent’s in styling the actress both on- and off-screen, particularly in Vivier’s iconic Pilgrim pumps.
The subsequent years saw the unique artist-muse relationship between Saint Laurent and Deneuve soar through classic films such as La Chamade (1968), Mississippi Mermaid (1969), Liza (1972) and The Hunger (1983). Their fabulous collaboration continued up until the designer’s death in 2008.
Deneuve embodied a distinctive style for each role to reflect the character, but the key sartorial choices such as trench coats, safari skirt-suits and timeless tailoring appear in every film styled by Saint Laurent, embodying the designer’s philosophy of creating clothes inspired by the male wardrobe as well as a few essential key pieces for every woman.
Both Deneuve and Saint Laurent reached the pinnacle of superstardom in their respective fields, but it was their enduring teamwork that helped create some of the most iconic fashion moments in film history. 