" B A M B A R A " By Yves Saint Laurent

« I have been a part of the transformation of my times. I did it with clothes, which is certainly less important than music, architecture, painting …. but anyway, I did it. » Indeed, as Yves Saint Laurent said once, his lifelong work marked a new era in Haute Couture, at first, and then in every sectors of Fashion industry. Through this statement, he only made one mistake : to underestimate the significance and the impact of his vision on society. Since the 1960’s, Haute Couture and Fashion have become important fields which have touched the whole population because of its democratization, allowing it to take a big part in society evolutions, for instance on the topic of women’s liberation which he promoted during his whole career, whether it be through the abandonment of corset or the appropriation of men’s suits. We shall see this topic as one aspect of the main theme of his work: the encounter. Sumptuously depicted through his collections, Yves Saint Laurent narrated three types of confluences: the one occurring between women of his times and a strong, independent modern women; the one between Haute Couture, Art and Society; and the one between cultures. Indeed, through the cultural syncretism he promoted, this last type of encounter seemed to be central for this Parisian designer, who was born in Oran, who has lived his entire life between French, Algerian and many more cultures. Among his entire work, his collection of Spring-Summer 1967, called « Bambara », will remain a proof of his will to allow the encounter and the discussion of different worlds, and in this case especially, the encounter of the Western and the African ones. Bambara is an ethnic group principally based in todays’ Mali, and therefore, this word also designates their cultures and their language. So, we shall see the encounter happening between an Malian culture and the Parisian Haute Couture scene.

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The poetry of the encounter he depicted through his collection « Bambara » holds, foremost, on his choice of the materials he used on each dress and each ensemble. Indeed, in order to give shape to his idea, he chose to use main fabrics of the period like silk for example, which could represent western elegance, and to sew stones, shells, and other materials on it, which would symbolise African arts and crafts.

Indeed, as we can see on the ensemble of the first photograph, some black cotton and silk has been used as a base. This last material, from Asia, first introduced in Europe through the Silk Road during the Antique period, had become, through centuries, a symbol of Western elegance. However, it is interesting to know it also has been used in Africa since medieval times because of the production of the Royaume of Kongo. Thus, from that base, the designer chose to sew deferent types of pearls: brown wood ones and red, black and white glass ones. He also chose to include handmade embroideries between lines of pearls; those create a subtle contrast because of their inclination to the left. This savoir-faire, is really important and common in the Malian fashion industry, maybe more than in Europe, due to its common utilization on dresses made of Bazin or wax, which are the main fabrics used in the country. To represent « Bambara » culture, he also added brown cowries. This shell is really important and symbolic; indeed, often used in divinatory arts, in previous times, it was also used as a money because of its value. Those shells seem to be sewed on iron elements of the same form. The use of this material can also be seen as a way of paying respect to this African culture. The work of the iron can be seen as a symbol of the Malian « savoir-faire » because of it use in numerous fields such as armament, house crockery or jewelry. At the bottom of the top, Yves Saint Laurent, also added red, black, yellow and green stones hanging. Those seem to have been inserted on gold seats. This last material used on this ensemble, is, certainly one of the most symbolic. Indeed, the medieval Empire of Mali, remain in history as one of the wealthiest which has ever existed, due to its gold resources. More generally, it also represent the African continent, which is seen as a ground of gold.

Therefore, using all those materials in one ensemble create a beauty effect of wealth and also of overload, which seems to be intended. Those effects are common of every pieces of the collection. By this beautiful cacophony, Yves Saint Laurent created, at first, an encounter of the diversity of the Bambara savoir-faire and also of the African cultures. This can be seen, at first, because of the general aspect of those ensembles: indeed, the overload materials on dresses is a common aspect of Algerian and Moroccan cultures but not of the Bambara one, which is certainly made of the meeting of strong colors but more pared down on the choice of materials.

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By his collection « Bambara » Yves saint Laurent seems to have promoted an encounter at different levels. Therefore, under the apparence of the meeting occurring between Bambara traditions and Parisien Haute couture, he seems to have allowed the encounter of several african cultures.

The diversity of his inspiration can be seen, at first, thanks to necklaces and some pieces’ collars.

Indeed, for those pieces, he seems to have taken his inspiration from Kenyan culture, and more precisely from the Massai one, an ethnic group made of famers and warriors. An oval collar, made of different line of necklaces, sometimes in different colors, as we can see on the left picture, is symbolic of this culture. In the first picture, this kenyan inspiration appears even clearer due to the colors the designer used. The meeting of red, yellow, green and white is something which strongly recalls those warriors colors. This warrior’s colors, used this way, is not common in Bambara cultures. Therefore, the meeting of Kenyan and Malian tradition, appears really strong on the second picture. Indeed, Saint Laurent fused the collar form to an fabrics symbolic of the Malian culture: straw. In past times, this material was used to build roof of houses; thus, in colonial times, it became linked to a certain idea of a « primitive » Africa.

On top, of the collar, we can also see embroideries, which, as we previously saw, is a statement in this West African civilisation. This Eastern African inspiration can also be seen in the models’ hairstyles.

Piled tall , straight or curly, sometimes divided in segments, sometimes sculpted into a bubble: those hairstyles are inspired by different African societies. Sculptural formations of hair indicated status and wealth in kenyan cultures. Historically, it signified a person’s ethnic background and rank in society which induced her wealth thanks to the elegance of the sculpture. Such hairdo had been captured since the 1960’s by the Nigerian photographer J. D. Okhai Ojeikere in his anthology of Nigerian women’s hairstyles. This work allows us to understand the existence of encounters and confluences between African societies’ arts and traditions.

In the collection, we can also feel a strong inspiration from the Ancien Egypt. Indeed, this aspect can be seen by the top of some dresses and ensembles; women’s bare shoulders and the form of the fabrics linking collars to the chest remind us of old Egyptian sculptures of kings and queens, Cleopatra remaining the symbol of the eternal monarch. This aspect is amplified by the hairstyle of some models, which seems to imitate crowns of the civilisation.

As we saw, through his collection « Bambara » Yves Saint Laurent narrated the story of an African meeting happening between African cultures wether it be through forms, through materials or through colors. This encounter, before occurring between Africa and France, occurred between African societies itself. He portrayed the concept of fusion, of cultural-interbreeding, of syncretism. However, through it, we can also see a fantasy of Africa, notably because of everything that we said .The idea of one and only Africa, which would be the same from North to South and from West to East, is a common idea in Europe. This idea of a fantasy of Africa can also be seen through the representation of a woman who would not be fully covered but from whom can be seen some important and precious parts of her body, as for example, her navel.

Body being at the center of those representations, we can also point out this representation through the idea of African women’s voluptuous features.

Bambara collection dress by Antonio Lopez circa - 1985.

Therefore, this encounter appears to be more than the meeting of Malian and French cultures. Coming from an encounter between African savoirs-faire and cultures, this collection also depicted a certain representation of Africa which could also be seen through the name of the collection. Indeed, considering this collection as a African inspired one, Yves Saint Laurent could have named it « Africa » or « African » if his desire was to promote a truly African collection, however he did not. Instead, he chose to call it after the name of a specific group of people from an old French colony. From my point of view, the designer chose to do so, for his audience to dream. Indeed, Bambara people were well known in France, since their arrival in that part of the world. Since then, a certain representation of them emerged in France, with the idea they were a superior group in African diversity, a group constituted of strong men and women mostly warriors with a wild culture, which in times of war lead France authorities to recrut a large amount of his « Tirailleurs » from those people. From it, we could see the fantasy and imaginary that would bring such a name to his collection. Thus, we shall see through it the fantasy of Saint Laurent, who, was willing to present a new side of this continent. Indeed, only seven years after decolonization, this part of the world was suffering from bad depictions. From that point, we can see this designer’s creative talent: he saw beauty and strength where, in those times and in Europe, others would not. Thus, reinventing legends and myths, he allowed Westerners to dream.

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From now on, we can see the « Bambara » as a collection which could have been called: « When a fantasy of Africa meets The Parisian Haute couture scene ». This other level of encounter can be seen through the form of dresses . Indeed, the designer chose to fuse Parisian shapes with his African inspirations.

In 1965, Saint Laurent revolutionized the fashion industry by his « Robe Mondrian ». Also known under the name « robe trois tous », this dress is recognizable by its A-line. Promoting an independent modern woman, whose body movements would not be restricted anymore, this dress was supposed to be easily pulled-on. Thus, this type of dress became a symbol of women’s liberation and more generally of a period of profound transformations in the 1960s, symbolizing modernity. Hence, adapting this type of dress to african designed pieces, he allowed it to be seen as modern which went against the idea of a primitive Africa, a common thought in those times. This aspect can also, and mainly be seen, in advertisements of this collection.

It shows us a woman whose legs and arm positions reveal strength and determination. The closed expressions on her face seems to reveal concern over something we do not know. And, although Africa is reflected through the designed pieces, it is also represented though the giant plants behind the woman. But the main aspect of this poster, which absolutely needs to be pointed out, is the fact that the model wearing this African inspired ensemble, is white. Indeed, Saint Laurent points out the idea of a globalized fashion industry, which would suit white women as much as it would suits black ones. The Parisian creator really was ahead of his days. He was the first European to introduce African fashion in the international market, notably through his collaboration with African fashion designers as, for instance, Chris Seydou from Mali. This decompartmentalization of fashion was also promoted in a television advertising , where every model was white and where we could see them playing chess with jungle animals(1). Thus, we can see a collection whose aim is to touch every women, as far as possible. However, in 2002, at the retrospective of Saint Laurent lifelong work, we could see that the models who have been casted to wear this collection, were only black, which, from my point of view, goes against the idea of an decompartmentalized fashion industry which he promoted in his young years. However, considering his tremendous work, this fact can be easily forgotten, due to the global impact of his work on people’s consideration of African arts.

(1)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSIqyU_so_A

The idea of an encounter can also be seen through this poster. The model, wearing Saint Laurent designs, seems to find their place between two african inspired sculptures. Actually, we can even say that she seems to be one of them. Revealing the abstract expressionism dear to some African artists, we can notice that the model only has one leg, the other one is missing, as if the photographer was willing to introduce some mysticism. This last aspect also reveals the fantasy of an Africa made of darkness and unknown, which is also seen through the black background. As a result, we can see the confluences of African culture, the fantasy of Africa and the Parisian Haute Couture scene.

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As a conclusion, we can say that through his « Bambara » collection, Yves Saint Laurent promoted encounters at many levels: one occurring between African cultures, then one occurring between them and their representations in the western world and finally the encounter between this fantasy of Africa and the Parisian Haute Couture scene. Therefore, we have seen a successful confluence of arts made of searched and worked encounters. Indeed, in the 1960’s, this could not have been a result of chance. Thus, because of its revolutionizing aspects, this collection remains today a major influence in fashion industry and so it keeps inspiring fashion designers. But, more generally, we could say every single piece Yves Saint Laurent has ever drawn, whether it be for Dior or for himself, became a sure bet in Haute Couture and in art in general. This designer was such ahead of his time that those pieces still find magnetic resonance nowadays.

With love, Tatè.