Fashion Travel by Yves Saint Laurent

Vibrant yet elegant, meet the place where YSL found harmony and inspiration.

When you think of elegance, one of the first fashion designers that comes to mind must be Yves Saint Laurent. At first guess, we would say that he drew his inspiration from chic Paris ladies, glamourous streets and the famous l’art de vivre. We wouldn’t guess that his biggest inspiration were the vibrant colors of Morocco where he spent more than 20 years. But if you go back in time to the beginnings of his career, you’ll remember that dress inspired by Piet Mondrian which made him famous and then you might understand that his love of playing with colors goes deeper than you would think.

Yves Saint Laurent made Morocco famous and Morocco returned the love in many ways. In 1980 YSL bought multicolored, extravagant and neglected Jardin Majorelle and renovated it but he maintained all its colors and life. YSL and his partner Pierre Bergé decided to expand the already impressive garden adding to it more than 200 different flowers. And the free entrance to this oasis was granted to everybody.

“Before Marrakech, everything was black,” Yves Saint Laurent once said. “This city taught me color, and I embraced its light, its insolent mixes, and ardent inventions.” After his death by his wish, the Villa Oasis and the garden became a sort of homage to YSL but to Marrakech as well. The designer who is often referred to as the man who put women in pants wanted to open Marrakech to the world so that every visitor could enjoy its abundance of colorful tones in culture and in nature. And that is exactly what Jardin Majorelle combines. Visiting this piece of art is a chance to meet one of the greatest minds of fashion but also, to explore your own inspiration.

Knowing this, the city of Marrakech gave the street where Jardin is Yves Saint Laurant’s name. In the same street, in 2017 a museum dedicated entirely to the fashion icon was opened. There you can explore the greatest and the most exclusive pieces of his art. It is not luxury design, it is a history of haute couture. The Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech showcases a rotating cast of 5,000 items of clothing, 15,0000 accessories, and thousands of sketches and documents created and stored over four decades. It also has a white-themed café, Le Studio, named for and inspired by Saint Laurent’s Paris atelier.

This is a must-stop for all of you who want to visit Morocco. Dedicate a day to exploring the designs of a mastermind who shaped the style you are wearing every day. As we met the vacation style of YSL, we offer you to choose a place for your stay depending on your own style.