F/W 1977 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture 'Les Chinoises' Documented Dress Set

This dress, designed by Yves Saint Laurent, is a documented piece from his seminal “Les Chinoises” or “Opium Couture” collection, Fall/Winter 1977 Haute Couture. A Cheongsam-inspired belted dress from the collection debuted on the runway in July 1977 and appears in Saint Laurent’s original archival sketches, now preserved at the Musée Yves Saint Laurent in Marrakesh. The collection coincided with the launch of the house’s Opium fragrance and presented Saint Laurent’s romantic reinterpretation of Chinese design elements. Marino Schiano, one of the designer’s muses, wore a similar ensemble to the Opium fragrance launch on September 20, 1978, held aboard the historic Peking ship at the South Street Seaport Museum in New York. Related works from this collection were later highlighted in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute exhibition China: Through the Looking Glass (2015), in collaboration with the Department of Asian Art. This historically significant collection has also served as a touchstone for later YSL creative directors, from Tom Ford to Stefano Pilati. Rarely available on the market, this set represents a museum-worthy example of Saint Laurent’s defining work.