©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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