From the ancient world to pop art, Yves Saint Laurent regularly took inspiration from art history as he combined colours, carved out new forms and rethought the structure of garments in order to create his own masterpieces.

Juxtaposing his creations with art works from the collections of five major Paris institutions – the Musée d’Orsay, the Louvre, the Center Pompidou, the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris and the Musée National Picasso – this book explores the couturier’s homages to the masters of art and his never-ending quest for new means of aesthetic expression. Androgynous silhouettes and Proustian gowns stand alongside the elegance of Impressionism; a feathered coat responds to Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings; flowing silhouettes merge with a mural by Raoul Dufy; Lucio Fontana’s neon lights make metallic fabrics sparkle; and bold appliqué motifs echo The Dance by Henri Matisse. This is an unforgettable journey through art history with Yves Saint Laurent as a guide.