Moroccan influence: Draped gold lamé dress from the Rive Gauche collection, Fall 1991.

Saint Laurent adored Morocco, where he had a vacation home. “He was very inspired by the [Moroccan] light—this very strong light—and the flowers. The garden of Marrakesh was very inspiring for him...In the haute couture tradition, the colors had to be treated in a very discreet manner. It was supposed to be dangerous to use strong colors.” Saint Laurent broke with this tradition, opting for a vivid palette inspired by his North African travels.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Fondation Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent, Paris/Photo by A. Guirkinger