Saturday, March 07, 2020

Betty Catroux, Yves St. Laurent, Feminine Singular

Yesterday I saw the BETTY CATROUX, Feminine Singular exhibit at MUSEE YSL.There are so many fashion exhibit around Paris it ain't easy to keep up.
Louboutin is waiting in the wings to be posted and maybe I'll hit Harpers Bazaar at MAD tomorrow fingers crossed 🤞🏼I get my Paris envelopes 💌 addressed.
When Yves St.Laurent met  Betty by chance at night club, New Jimmy's in the 60's fashion history was made.
Her severe mannish style suited him to a T. Plus their personalities meshed like twins.
He asked for her number, asked her to model for him. They became good friends forever. Especially at night.
So many YSL classic originated with their friendship: the endless versions of 'le smoking' and the iconic safari jacket.
The show was curated by current YSL designer, Antony Vaccarello with Betty consulting.
She's now 75 and still does jazz dance 5 times a week. Catroux recently gave back hundreds of pieces (some unique runway prototypes) Yves gave her to the museum's collection.
There are both video and audio interviews with her throughout the exhibit. She's as outspoken and singular as she ever was.
If you want more quotes read the NYTime's 19 Things about Betty Catroux.
For even more inside gossip read Alice Drake's The Beautiful Fall is full of wild details of the Paris 3-ring fashion circus in the wild 60's. 
A nice plus, at the end of the exhibit you get to see Yves St. Laurent's studio without booking a separate visit as I did previously. I love this last pix of Catroux blowing bubbles at a fancy dress gala. I finally got around to doing some Chanel watercolors now on ETSY. Keep washing those hands PBers. XXX Carol and 🐻 in Paris, where the sun is shining and the Seine is overflowing its banks.

13 comments:

  1. Bonelle7:54 PM

    Fascinating, Carol. Betty and Yves most certainly could have been twins; tall, angular, same jaw line. How could Betty not have aged well with those fabulous cheek bones. Wild 60s indeed!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In the Times story she says she doesnt care about food.
      Only wine.

      Delete
    2. Bonelle1:58 AM

      Well, that explains it...you just can’t eat...I missed that boat!

      Delete
    3. 12. Everyone has a story about Betty and wine.

      “I hate food,” Ms. Catroux said. “It’s dreary, the care to make it and all these people talking about it. I only eat so I can drink.”

      Ask Doris Brynner, a former wife of the actor Yul Brynner. A friend of the Catrouxes and a frequent guest at their getaway in Provence, listed for sale last year by Sotheby’s for $11.5 million, she is also a lifelong teetotaler. As such, she has come in for generous helpings of Ms. Catroux’s derision.

      “I don’t drink anything, and she always teases me about it,” Ms. Brynner said by phone from Paris. “She says, ‘Go ahead and have your disgusting water.’”

      Delete
    4. “I hate food,” Ms. Catroux said.

      “It’s dreary, the care to make it and all these people talking about it.

      I only eat so I can drink.”

      And BC is NOT even French !

      Delete
  2. Another Museum to add to the Paris List. Very interesting. Love his clothes. Must go...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Little Lulu3:20 AM

    'i'm forever blowing bubble, pretty bubble in the air'

    https://youtu.be/yvuOtlpSAeY

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lol I only eat so I can drink..I had never heard of her!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Read THE BEAUTIFUL FALL and you will know Everything and more.
      Quite a scandalous book in fact. They were all furious.

      Delete
  5. Kathleen11:25 AM

    SHE IS FAB!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't she just 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
      I gave up ice cream for CHANEL.
      No I have to give up eating altogether to be like BETTY.
      I'm ready to do it.

      Delete
  6. Please take care of yourself, Carol
    Beth Ward

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Beth❤️
      I am absolutely just fine.

      Delete

Love hearing from you