Our main goal was to see the Yves Saint laurent Retrospective Exhibit at the Petit Palais Musee Des Beaux Arts De La Ville De Paris. That was it! No other excuse.


Last year we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower (in pouring rain!), we did the Seine, the Marais--"been there done that". It was ALL ABOUT Yves and his Haute Couture. The exhibit opened in March and was to close August 29Th so we made it just in time! Three words: It was INCREDIBLE!!!! There are FIFTEEN different rooms showing the Master's Art from his days with Christian Dior, to...


His controversial 40's-inspired (some say he glamorized World War II) Collection. There is an amazing room which recreates Catherine Deneuve's "private closet" of Saint Laurent Couture, plus his Atelier Desk which looks as if it was lifted from his office the day he retired. And of course, various tributes showing how he "revolutionized" fashion, such as: Introducing pants into the female wardrobe, The Safari Jacket, Transparency as well as Le Smoking:

There was an entire WALL devoted to what seemed like HUNDREDS of Le Smoking (see above)--from tuxedo suits to skirt suits to gowns.


Nick Verreos and David Paul, outside the I.M. Pei Pyramid Louvre Museum

The following day (I couldn't do anything after THAT!), David and I decided to head toward the
Louvre...


Afterward, David and I decided to do some sightseeing and shopping (of course!): We headed to the Arc du Triomphe (above), and then checked out the Summer Sales at...

But there was one thing I was FASCINATED by:

They were ALL OVER Printemps! I was especially fascinated by the silhouette of their hairstyles under their Hermes scarves: Very "Alien" (the movie)-esque, pulled back High bun. I dubbed them "The Dubai Women". Recently (after returning from Europe at an event I hosted) I met a 20-something woman living in the Middle East and told her about these women in Paris. She corrected me and said that they were probably from Kuwait (because of the high-back bun under the scarves, she said). Wherever they were from: They had LOTS of money, were FABULOUS, and LOVED shopping VERY EXPENSIVE brands.

Wish I was them! With that, it was time to go back to our hotel, rest and get ready to return to the States. I look forward to my next trip to Europe--and hopefully, more run-ins with my "Dubai Divas", better (non-humid) weather and yes, a better Euro-US Dollar Exchange....Wishful thinking!

Click below for a video of International Herald Tribune's Suzy Menkes and a Tour of the YSL Retrospective Exhibit:


Click below for the ENTIRE YSL Retrospective Runway Fashion Show: Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4: