No traveler needs to be reminded that Paris is a stylish city. Parisians take fashion seriously in their every-day lives, that’s while you’ll never see a Frenchman walking down the street in sweatpants and sneakers like so many North Americans do. Parisian style surely has deep roots, but many French clothing designers can take some of the credit for influencing today’s trends and fashion staples. Few designers in the past century can claim the role that Yves Saint-Laurent has played in French, and international, fashion. Saint-Laurent is an icon in France for his fashion designs, artistic contribution and singular personality. This summer Paris will pay official homage to the style-maker it loves so much with an exposition at the gilded Petit Palais.
The exhibit, entitled Yves Saint-Laurent: 40 Years of Creation, will cover the artists life and work from 1962 to 2002. Located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, the special presentation will include 300 design model dresses and outfits, numerous drawings, documents and film clips on a man whose work revolutionized style in France and throughout the Western World. The fact that the Petit Palais dedicated an entire summer to the designer is a testament to the influence he has had beyond the world of fashion design. Saint-Laurent’s clothes weren’t just for runway models, they made their way onto the backs of stylish Parisians. The retrospective is on now until the end of August, and is a must see for anyone interested in fashion or French culture in general.
Paris is an extremely popular destination and visitors hoping to stay in a fully-furnished apartment should start their search right away. New York Habitat still has apartments rentals in the 8th arrondissement available, close to the Petit Palais, while hotels are already filling up. Below are a few choice accommodations to get your search off the ground:
– This charming Paris studio rental in Marais-Les Halles (PA-2009) features hardwood floors and a renovated kitchen and bath.
– This 1-bedroom vacation rental apartment in Tuileries, Opera – Le Louvre (PA-3542) features a decorative fireplace, courtyard views and a wonderful central location.
This will be great for people who are interested in fashion, as Paris is the fashion capital.
This sounds like it will be very cool. I will hopefully be able to see it during my time in Paris!