Catherine Deneuve and Jean Sorel in Belle de Jour (1967). Deneuve is outfitted by Yves Saint Laurent. Catherine was one of Yves Saint Laurent Muses, and one needs not look at her for long to understand why. The two met on the set of Luis Buñuel’s film, Belle de Jour in 1966, marking the beginning of a lifelong friendship.
In the film, Deneuve plays Severine, a doctor’s wife who leads a double life. During the day, she plays the part of a prostitute, turning her fantasies into reality, whilst at night she settles back into the role of the delicate, domestic housewife.
The film bears Saint Laurent’s sartorial stamp: In tailored coats and dresses, Deneuve is perfectly Parisienne. Laurent created a dual wardrobe for Severine, to represent her double life. Her outfits tell the story of two different women: the feminine wholesome image she feigns in front of her husband, and that of the confident seductress she cultivates in the brothel. The film in itself is fantastic and beautiful told. With Paris as a back drop, a stunning cast and Yves Saint Laurent designs, its easy to understand why its a hit.
Following Belle de Jour, Catherine Deneuve wore many of Saint Laurent’s designs both on and off screen. Together, they worked on films such as La Chamade(1968), Mississippi Mermaid (1969), Liza (1972) and The Hunger (1983).
Although neither Laurent nor Deneuve needed the other to achieve success, together, they created something extraordinary. Their great friendship lasted until Saint Laurent’s death in 2008. At his Paris funeral at the Eglise Saint-Roch, a visibly distraught Deneuve read from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. She wore a black satin trench and buckled Roger Vivier flats, updated versions of the pair she had worn in Belle de Jour. Below are some of the ensembles Yves created for Catherine in Belle De Jour.
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Catherine & Yves
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