Yves Saint Laurent Museum
The spirit of a great couturier
The Yves Saint Laurent Museum in the new town of Marrakesh is situated in the immediate vicinity of the Jardin Majorelle. The museum reflects the many facets of the great couturier: his passion for shapes, colours & materials. Temporary exhibitions, the research library, the versatile auditorium, the bookshop and the studio cafe all combine to make this visit an aesthetic pleasure.
THE LAST GREAT COUTURIER: YVES SAINT LAUREN
For forty years, Yves Saint Lauren worked tirelessly to evolve his signature style. His clothes are part of 20th century history and helped foster the emancipation of women. The caban, the trench coat, the tux, the trouser suit as well as his legendary safari jackets are all still integral parts of the wardrobes of fashion-conscious women today. As one of the last great couturiers, Yves Saint Laurent yearned for an epoch that would reflect the heyday of haute couture. His sumptuous evening gowns are a homage to painting, to literature, to the theatre and to fashion. Close to the Jardin Majorelle, purchased by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in 1980, stands the architecturally striking Museum YVES SAINT LAURENT, which is much more than its name gives away: In a highly original scenography by Christophe Martin, it presents the highlights of the genius fashion designer on more than 400 m².
THE FABRIC FROM WHICH ARCHITECTURE GROWS
French architectural firm Studio KO has realised numerous housing and public space projects in Morocco, London, and New York. When it came to designing the museum building, the architects let themselves be inspired by the archives of the couturier, integrating his trademark duality of curves and straight lines, the sequences of his sketches and his clear-cut patterns. From the outside, the building appears to be a collection of cubes with an allegorical brickwork “lace”; a pattern that is reminiscent of textile structures. Similar to the lining of a garment, the inside is entirely different: velvety, smooth, glowing.
LOVE posters and postcards. The spirit of Yves Saint Laurent also permeates the Librairie Boutique, where visitors may purchase books on the grand couturier, on fashion, on Morocco and much more. Visitors will be surprised to find re-interpretations of the “Loulou de la Falaise” jewellery line as well as a selection of films and books that were close to Yves Saint Laurent, for instance Luchino Visconti’s masterpieces or Marcel Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time”.
IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO RESEARCH ON MOROCCO
The library of the Fondation Jardin Majorelle at the Yves Saint Laurent Museum Marrakesh is a research library targeted primarily at researchers from Morocco and other countries, anthropologists, historians, archaeologists, curators, artists and university students. The library content consists both of purchased and gifted items. A major part of the newly purchased works concerns studies on the Berbers (Imazighen). These ethnological, historical, anthropological, philological and sociological studies make up its scientific part. Regarding the gifted items, Pierre Bergé actively contributed to the richness of the library by extending its share of rare and old books that deal with Morocco and its Arab-Andalusian influences, its history, literature and traditional art. Madison Cox procured numerous works on gardens, landscaping and botany for the library.
CREATIVE CUISINE AT THE CAFÉ “LE STUDIO“
The café “Le Studio“ is named after Yves Saint Laurent’s creative studio in Paris and has an intimate, peaceful atmosphere. All its furnishings reflect the principle of simplicity: light wood, plaster of Paris lamps and white marble suggest a monastic and yet modern spirit. A large panorama drawing of Yves Saint Laurent’s studio by Ulrich Gassmann adds further authenticity. The simple wicker furniture in warm hues and the Japanese curtains make for a harmonious blend of styles and worlds. In his efforts to promote young Moroccan talents, young, up-and-coming head chef Driss Aloui was hired, whose menu is inspired by Mexican and Southern Californian cuisine. He uses ingredients from the Marrakesh region and from the farmer’s souk that is held at the Jardin Majorelle every Saturday.
Opening hours
Opening hours
(11am – 5pm)
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