Naked truth about Biopic Yves St. Laurent Hedonistic Life featured at Cannes Film Festival.

©ourtesy of  theGuardian & thedailybeast

It might come as a surprise in a film about a deceased fashion designer who spent vast amounts of his life thinking about couture, but one of the most, if not the most, memorable scenes in the new biopic, Saint Laurent, shows a young Yves Saint Laurent completely naked as he walks towards his partner, Pierre Bergé (clad in a black satin dressing gown that reveals his tanned behind), before the young lovers jump on the bed for a romp. Despite the provocative nature of this and other racy sex scenes in the film, which was directed by Bertrand Bonello (of Le Pornographe fame) and premiered at the Festival de Cannes on Saturday, the real controversy surrounding the production has to do with the clothing. What else!

Early on, the Bonello production incurred the wrath of Saint Laurent’s long-term partner Pierre Bergé, who threatened in WWD to sue the film if it copied any of the designer’s outfits—a bit hard to avoid when making a coming-of-age movie about YSL’s life and work.  The filmmakers, on their part, have accused Bergé of distributing letters to parties associated with the film to try to stop it. To this end, Bergé has refused to allow Bonello’s team to consult the brand’s archives. He also publically endorsed another biopic, Yves Saint Laurent, which debuted in January and was directed by Jalil Lespert. The Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent lent the rival film a reported 77 vintage outfits and Bergé helped conduct a scene depicting the legendary 1976 Ballet Russes fashion show. The resulting headlines in the French press declared war between the two films.

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Film ‘The Help’ Costume Designer

By Michelle Paradis [BTL]

When costume designer Sharen Davis read The Help years ago, she immediately felt a deep connection with the book. “I loved the book so much, it was really serendipitous,” Davis says about getting on board as the costume designer of the 1960s era film about African-American maid’s experiences working for white families during the civil rights movement. Davis’ work on the film helped breathe life to each character who are all represented so well, as if they were visualized and the facets of their personalities were put to fabric. The splashes of color on each character speak volumes about who they are. Skeeter (Emma Stone), the idealistic heroine of the film who refuses to get married like the rest of the “proper girls” of her time, dons Peter Pan collars, shirt-dresses and plaids. Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard), the insecure schemer who will do anything to secure her social standing in town and keep things the way they are wears the brightest florals and the loudest bows. Elizabeth (Ahna O’ Reilly), the girl who isn’t capable of mothering her own children and stands by submissively as everything unfolds, wears more muted florals. The camera introduces Celia (Jessica Chastain) the girl living on the outskirts of town looking in, feet first, clad in sky high platforms before panning to her bare legs and revealing her fitted romper. – – Read more about Sharen