If you happen to be in the Bay Area before April 5th, I highly suggest you make a stop at the de Young museum in Golden Gate Park and check out the amazing Yves Saint Laurent exhibit currently taking place. I saw the exhibit this weekend, while on a short vacation to the Bay and was completely mesmerized by the genius and spectacle of the designer. The exhibition contains nearly 130 accessorized garments and sketches illustrating the lines, colors, and fundamentals of Saint Laurent’s work. Included are such famous and iconic looks as the Mondrian, hand-knit bridal gown, pop art, Van Gogh, safari, the black dress with huge bow, Africa, and of course, le smoking.

Seeing these amazing works of art up-close was an amazing experience. I could have spent all day admiring the tiny details in the garments. I was reminded that couture, and ready-to-wear, collections are the outcome not only of the designer’s creative vision, but also the painstaking, detailed work of his team. The bead work on the Van Gogh pieces, for example, and the way the beads are chosen and embroidered, perfectly re-creates Van Gogh’s brush strokes. It is truly incredible.

Unfortuntely, the de Young is the only venue for this exhibit in the U.S. If you can’t make it, you can still indulge in some YSL history with Yves Saint Laurent: Style, Style, Style which I perused at the museum gift shop before ultimately deciding on a poster and YSL paper dolls book (I knew I could find Style, Style, Style on PriceGrabber for a better price!).

Image credit: Style.com