Step inside the grand rooms of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris, and you're not just looking at a collection of couture pieces—you’re stepping into history. Here, in the very building where the legendary couturier YSL himself worked, fashion is more than fabric and thread. It is a narrative, meticulously preserved and constantly reinterpreted. Every silhouette, every sketch, every accessory tells a story—of artistry, rebellion, and an unrelenting pursuit of beauty. Leading the charge in this ever-evolving dialogue between past and present is the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris, an institution proving that legacy and modernity can go hand in hand.

Yves Saint Laurent à son bureau, studio du 5 avenue Marceau, Paris, 1986. © Droits réservés

For Serena Bucalo-Mussely, Chief Curator and Head of Collections at the museum, working within this storied space is more than just a professional pursuit—it’s a deep commitment to storytelling. “When I joined the team at the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris, I was immediately captivated by its unique collection and its rich history. Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé were pioneers in fashion archiving. From the very first years of the fashion house, they began preserving runway prototypes, a practice that became systematic over time and continued until the closure of haute couture in 2002.” Their foresight in documentation and archiving has laid the foundation for contemporary preservation efforts.

Yves Saint Laurent, Alexandre Guirkinger

The museum’s collection is staggering in scale. “Today, the collection includes more than 10,000 textiles, 19,000 accessories, over 100,000 items of graphic art, more than 100,000 photographs, as well as correspondence and paper archives relating to the couturier's life and work.” What makes this preservation so remarkable is the way technology is now being woven into the curatorial process. Cataloguing, high-resolution imaging, and experiences are expanding the museum’s reach, ensuring that Yves Saint Laurent’s work is accessible to a global audience far beyond the museum’s Parisian walls.

Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent

Bucalo-Mussely’s role extends beyond preservation—she is responsible for curating exhibitions that balance historical integrity with contemporary appeal. “Twice a year, the museum organizes themed exhibitions in situ, highlighting the designer's inspirations and creations,” she explains. But the impact of these exhibitions isn’t limited to Paris. “In 2023, I was lucky enough to curate a major retrospective in Tokyo at the National Art Center, presenting 110 textile silhouettes, drawings, photos, and prints to the Japanese public. In 2024, the collection travelled to the Orange County Museum in Los Angeles, and we recently concluded an exhibition of stage costume sketches at the Fondazione Nicola del Roscio in Rome, shedding light on a much lesser-known part of the couturier's work, his collaboration with the performing arts.”

Thibaut Voisin, Yves Saint Laurent, Guy Marineau

This global approach to fashion history is indicative of a larger shift in museum curation. The role of the curator has evolved dramatically. “The curator's role is to conserve, protect and study the collection, but also to promote and help people to understand it, and it is important that this is done as accurately as possible,” Bucalo-Mussely notes. The challenge is clear: how does one balance scientific rigour with visitor engagement? At the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris, the answer lies in innovation. Whether through carefully curated exhibitions, digital storytelling, or interdisciplinary collaborations, the museum continues to evolve, reflecting the very ethos of its founder—always pushing boundaries.

Yves Saint Laurent

For visitors, a walk through the museum is more than just an appreciation of haute couture—it is a journey through time. “The Yves Saint Laurent Paris Museum offers visitors an immersive journey into the creative world and legacy of the famous couturier. By exploring the museum, they gain insight into the history of the fashion house, visit its original spaces and the designer's famous studio, and learn about his life, as well as the collaborations and influences that marked his career.” This intimate glimpse into the mind of one of the greatest designers of the 20th century is what makes the museum a vital part of the fashion landscape today.

Thibaut Voisin

As museums around the world rethink their approach to preserving and presenting fashion history, the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris stands as a model of what’s possible. The integration of technology, a global curatorial vision, and an unwavering dedication to legacy make it more than just a museum—it’s a living archive, ensuring that Saint Laurent’s revolutionary work continues to inspire generations to come.

 

Lead image: The Flowers of Yves Saint Laurent exhibition views by Thibaut Voisin