Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective -- the hottest ticket in town

To misquote Shakespeare, what's in a dress? What's in the cut of a particular tailored jacket? If these details were in the imagination of Yves Saint Laurent, the name means everything; one of the classic designers of the twentieth century, YSL earned his fame. He learned the ropes under the...

By Susan Froyd

January 17, 2012

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To misquote Shakespeare, what's in a dress? What's in the cut of a particular tailored jacket? If these details were in the imagination of Yves Saint Laurent, the name means everything; one of the classic designers of the twentieth century, YSL earned his fame. He learned the ropes under the aegis of the House of Dior, where, at the age of 21, he became the head designer after Dior's sudden death, and later started his own house at the start of the swingin' '60s.

And the rest is history, in every sense of the word. YSL's egalitarian approach to design set the couture world on its noggin, bringing the ease of menswear-inspired suits and ready-to-wear within the reach of modern women.

So it's no wonder that fashion fans are giddy about the arrival this spring of Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective at the Denver Art Museum. Not only is Denver the show's only stop in the United States, but the show itself has us swooning: the sheer elegance of the clothing displayed, the beauty of the women he dressed, and the homage to the art world sewn into many of his looks. Expect no less than the spectacular.

And it's time to get your tickets, because the stampede is on: Admission sales for DAM members began last Friday; this coming Friday, January 20, the YSL online box office opens to the public. Tickets range from $6 to $22.

Following is a soupcon of what you'll see when the exhibition opens in March.

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Susan Froyd started writing for Westword as the "Thrills" editor in 1992 and never quite left the fold. These days she still freelances for the paper in addition to walking her dogs, enjoying cheap ethnic food and reading voraciously. Sometimes she writes poetry.

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