Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal

Published:
6 Jul 2024
Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal, the first exhibition in the UK to show a comprehensive display of the French designer’s work, took place at The Bowes Museum in County Durham.

As if walking into the designer’s sketch books, a room designed by Paris’ Agence NC has taken stock from British master papermakers, James Cropper and formed an immersive, paper-based appreciation of Saint Laurent’s creative process.

In supporting Yves Saint Laurent: Style Is Eternal, James Cropper reflects on the strong link between paper and design, with Saint Laurent himself expressing early creativity in the meticulous execution of handcrafted paper dolls.

James Cropper paper played a role as a backdrop to the exhibition itself, and papers in classic white and silver grey shades from the Vanguard collection feature within the limited edition Yves Saint Laurent book that accompanied the exhibition.

Dominated by paper, from initial sketches to specification forms and the patterns for his famous final designs, the remarkable exhibition showcased how paper is riven through the creative process. Agence NC designer Hélène Lecarpentier and installation company, North Exhibition Services set about to ensure the natural look of paper was dominant as a backdrop to the exhibition experience.