1960
YVES SAINT LAURENT
for DIOR
“Chicago” Jacket
Autumn/winter 1960–61 haute couture
Dior, French, founded 1947
Yves Saint Laurent, French, born Algeria, 1936–2008
Black crocodile skin trimmed with black mink fur
Purchase, Friends of The Costume Institute Gifts, 2014 (2014.601)
2020
JOHN GALLIANO
for MAISON MARGIELA
Ensemble
Spring/summer 2020 Artisanal
Maison Margiela, French, founded 1988
John Galliano, British, born Gibraltar, 1960
Jacket of black faux crocodile and faux fur;
bloomers of black cotton bouclé and white cotton calico
Courtesy John Galliano for Maison Margiela
Yves Saint Laurent pioneered high fashion’s appropriation of youth-driven, nonconformist styles in his final collection for the House of Dior in 1960, which drew inspiration from various subcultures including Paris’s Left Bank existentialists (or beatniks) and featured ensembles with titles like “Jazz” and “Lolita.” This jacket, dubbed “Chicago,” references the motorcycle jacket, which Saint Laurent reinterprets with couture materials and techniques.
John Galliano’s spring/summer 2020 artisanal collection for Maison Margiela explored the codes and gestures of bourgeois fashion. This ensemble exemplifies the designer’s “Recicla” concept, which advocates for the reinterpretation of past styles using upcycled material. This coat, a replica of Saint Laurent’s “Chicago” design, is made of faux crocodile skin and faux fur constructed from repurposed materials and pierced with circular tabs referencing the sequin and fringe embellishments of the haute couture.
John Galliano’s spring/summer 2020 artisanal collection for Maison Margiela explored the codes and gestures of bourgeois fashion. This ensemble exemplifies the designer’s “Recicla” concept, which advocates for the reinterpretation of past styles using upcycled material. This coat, a replica of Saint Laurent’s “Chicago” design, is made of faux crocodile skin and faux fur constructed from repurposed materials and pierced with circular tabs referencing the sequin and fringe embellishments of the haute couture.