“Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective” Makes Its Only U.S. Stop In Denver

“Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective” is an exhibition that contains 2,000 pieces, which includes 400 haute couture garments, photographs, films, designs Saint Laurent made for famous friends, and even an Andy Warhol painting of the designer himself. This show made its 2010 debut in Paris, and it will be making one stop, and only one stop, in the US.

So what city was selected for this prestigious honor? Denver, Colorado. After all, the words high fashion and Colorado don’t really connect. For most Denver residents, “fashionable” often means The North Face jackets and Birkenstock sandals. Saint Laurent never even visited the Mile High City.

"The fabulous thing about this country is you have major events everywhere, all over the country," said Christoph Heinrich ABC reports, director at the Denver Art Museum. "It's not only everything happening in New York and Los Angeles."

The exhibit takes over 13,000 square feet on second floor of the museum. The gallery covers over 40 years of Saint Laurent’s work, from his early years working as head designer for Christian Dior in 1958, all the way to his last show in 2002.

Each dress was shipped to Denver from Paris in humidity-controlled crates. Saint Laurent’s muse, Betty Catroux, and YSL’s business and life partner, Pierre Berge, flew into Denver from Paris for the opening gala as well. "People ask me, 'Why Denver?'" Berge said. "My answer is, 'Why not Denver?'"

Even if Denver does not appreciate the high fashion exhibit, 30 percent of all Denver Art Museum visitors are from out of state, and it is expected for the museum’s traffic to increase during the show’s duration.

If you happen to be in Denver between now and July 8, make sure you stop by the Denver Art Museum to see the exhibit that’s making all other cities Le Smoking with envy.

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