Yves Saint Laurent is one of the biggest names in fashion, even years after his death.
However, aside from the clothing line which still bears his name, there has never been a permanent memorial to the designer. All that changes this year as the Musée Yves Saint Laurent opens in Marrakesh.
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The museum opens to the public on 19th October 2017. The location of the museum is Rue Yves St Laurent, Marrakech 40000, Morocco. Museum is open Wednesday–Monday 10am–6pm.
It is built on the site of Saint Laurent’s home in Morocco, just beside the Majorelle Gardens.
These gardens were a muse for Saint Laurent. The scattering of his ashes also took place in the gardens.
Inside the 4,000m² building, attendees will find numerous exhibitions about the legendary designer, featuring some of his best-known work. The museum was designed by Studio kO, the world-renowned French architects who are also behind much-loved London hotel the Chiltern Firehouse. Features of the building include:
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By GlobalData“A 400 m² permanent exhibition space where the work of Yves Saint Laurent will be presented in a scenography by Christophe Martin; a 150 m² space for temporary exhibitions, a 130-seat auditorium, a boutique and bookshop, a café-restaurant, as well as a research library comprising 5,000 volumes.”
According to an interview with the designers conducted by the Guardian: “The outside of the building is intended to evoke the “weft and warp of fabric” while the interior is designed to evoke the lining of a couture jacket, “velvety, smooth and radiant.”
What is in the museum?
The opening of the Marrakesh museum coincides with the inauguration of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent in Paris. Between the two of them, the museums house a collection of five thousand haute couture garments and fifteen thousand accessories. There are also thousands of sketches, collection boards, photographs, and objects.
Some think Yves Saint Laurent is the only designer in history to systematically archive his work. He’d been doing that since the creation of his couture house in 1961. As a result, the museums should provide a comprehensive history of his work.
However, far from just being a museum, the venue will also play host to an extensive research library. The library’s collection includes books on Arabic and Andalusian history, geography, literature and poetry, as well as numerous volumes related to botany, Berber culture, Yves Saint Laurent’s oeuvre and the world of fashion.
Temporary exhibitions:
In the temporary exhibition space there’s plenty going on. Firstly, the inaugural exhibition is titled Jacques Majorelle’s Morocco, (October 19, 2017–February 4, 2018.) It will focus on the Majorelle Gardens’ original owner, Jacques Majorelle. He had a lifelong passion for Morocco, a fascination for the beautiful and authentic medina of Marrakech, the surrounding rural areas, and the country’s medieval kasbahs. Félix Marcilhac, a world-renowned expert on Majorelle serves as curator..
Next, the second exhibition, Noureddine Amir’s sculpted dresses, will feature the work of the Moroccan couturier, Noureddine Amir (February 23, 2018–April 22, 2018).
Finally, the upcoming third exhibition is Garden of Memory. This exhibition, curated by Mouna Mekouar, will focus on the work of Etel Adnan, Simone Fattal and also Robert Wilson (May 12, 2018–September 2, 2018).
Visitors will also be able to visit the Marjorelle Gardens just behind the museum as a part of their visit.
What does the museum look like?
Writing on the museum’s official Facebook page, one visitor claimed it was a reason to visit Marrakesh in itself. However, if that doesn’t sell you on the concept the museum has teased some of its interesting features on Instagram:
As more and more people attend the museum, we’d expect to also find out more about what’s inside. However, nothing can detract from the fact that it’s a beautiful tribute to Yves Saint Laurent.
In conclusion, if you’re a fashion fan, this museum definitely looks like it’ll be worth a visit!
