Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Wool Cape, 1970s

Though it now seems impossible that fashion could exist without ready-to-wear, no couturier had ever designed and produced clothes specifically for the average woman until Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008) opened the first of his Rive Gauche boutiques in 1966. Even before founding his eponymous couture house in 1962, Yves Saint Laurent expressed interest in creating clothing that was accessible and functional for people beyond traditional couture patrons. Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé chose to realize this concept in the Latin Quarter of Paris’s Left Bank, known as “Rive Gauche” in French, for its bohemian, countercultural spirit. The boutique was an immediate success. Its vibrant, somewhat androgynous offerings quickly became a phenomenon among the Parisian youth. Icons of 1960s and 1970s style such as Francoise Hardy, Catherine Deneuve, and Talitha Getty frequently wore Rive Gauche. Major media attention spread this fervor around the globe, and Saint Laurent soon opened Rive Gauche boutiques in New York, Milan, Saint-Tropez, Munich, and many other cities. As his career progressed, Saint Laurent felt increasingly that, because the world of haute couture was so disconnected from the realities of modern life, Rive Gauche was a truer mode of expression than his couture house could ever be. With this, Yves Saint Laurent was among the first couturiers to recognize that fashion trickles up as well as down. This brand set the model for prêt-à-porter, that took the fashion world by storm.

Long, hooded cape in striped, multicolor wool. Features a braided knot/loop closure at neck with wool ribbon binding at edges. Unlined. Made in France.
Label: Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
Size Label: N/A
Style/Serial No.: N/A

Approximate Measurements:
Length (high shoulder point to hem): 53"
Hood Depth (from center back to front neckline): 12.5"
Hood Height (center front neckline to top): 15.5"
Span (from top edge to top edge):

This lot is located in Chicago.