FIT Museum – YSL&Halston

Fashion had gone through many changes and developments in the 70’s. The well-known designers started the challenge of designing a completely different style from the 60’s, unlike the 80’s for example that is influenced by the 70’s and the 90’s influenced by the 80’s. Yves Saint Laurent started designing a line that mostly focused on the patterns, fabrics, and colors, which is shown in his designs in the pictures below.

 

 

We can say that his designs then were based on drama and fantasy, and he was really trying to change the look of fashion. However, his designs succeeded and his style had become the trend of that time. On the other hand, Halston had succeeded too but with a completely different style. Halston had focused on minimalism and modernism, which seemed to be more likely what the American fashion world wanted. For that, he was named “The Premier Fashion Designer of All America”. The designs are simpler in fabric, silhouettes, and patterns, which is shown in the pictures below.

 

 

 

Not only did Yves Saint Laurent and Halston’s designs in the 70’s had a huge impact on the fashion world then, it kept influencing fashion designers, and it still is. Oscar De La Renta described YSL’s designs as being “as influential today as when he first designed them.” He has also designed hats, jackets, and boots that are still in use. Halston is also influencing many designers in the current time. This could be because fashion trends keep repeating itself again and again, and when re-designing the 70’s fashion they take their inspiration from the successful designers at that time.

 

 

 

References:

 

Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent;Diana Vreeland; Costume Institute (New York, N.Y.)

New York : Metropolitan Museum of Art;1983

 

Halston

Steven Bluttal; Patricia Mears

London : Phaidon;2001