The slow-paced, decidedly melancholic documentary L’Amour Fou tells the life story of French couturier Yves Saint Laurent through the eyes of his partner Pierre Bergé. We get glimpses into the timid designer’s career and personal life, from his appointment as Christian Dior’s successor at age twenty-one to his retirement in 2002. Archive footage and interviews with friends reveal his passion for travel and art, his dedication to his work, playful moments backstage, but also the enormous stress of coming out with four collections a year, and his struggle with depression and addiction. 

Part of the movie documents the Christie’s auction of the designer’s extensive art collection after he passed away in 2008. The two gentlemen began collecting art in the 1950s, and I was particularly taken with how they built their collection of valuable and well-loved pieces. Especially in the beginning, Yves and Pierre didn’t go out actively looking for new works of art. They let themselves be led by chance encounters and coups de foudre with items they’d stumbled upon by accident. I love that! And I immediately noticed the analogy with clothing shopping. How many times have you hit the stores needing something specific, say a party dress for an upcoming wedding or pumps in a particular shade of green, to come home empty-handed? Whereas we often find true treasures while we aren’t even looking. My much missed grey pinstriped dress, and more recently, my ink blue slouchy trousers turned out to be two such success stories.

Has this ever happened to you? What are some of your wardrobe workhorses found when you least expected it? Clothes that almost fell into your lap, so to speak, and that quickly became favourites because they are super flattering and a joy to wear?