Illustrated love cards: Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech

Love cards for the new year

I had the opportunity to visit the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech, Morocco and ran across these amazing cards he designed. Every year from 1970 to 2000 he sent out a new card to welcome in the New Year.

The museum and associated Jardin Majorelle are both worth visiting. In addition to the changing exhibitions and the display of these cards there is a full retrospective of Yves Saint Laurent’s life. It includes a visually stunning installation of his dresses, accessories, sketches and photos (You are not allowed to take photos – so you will have to go see for yourself).

Personal and bold images

My favorite designs are the early cards with the illustrative snakes, female form, bold colors and asian inspired themes. The cards seem to mirror his dress designs which where often inspired by culture and artists alike. The later series of cards seem to be derived from Yves Saint Laurent’s favorite artist Picasso.

Colorful and boldly graphic, these hand-crafted collages were often inspired by objects near and dear to his heart: his bulldog Moujik, for instance, and the sun and palm trees of his native Algeria.

Laird Borrelli Persson – Vogue

The Museum and Jardin Majorelle

The Majorelle Garden and Yves Saint Laurent Museum are two different sites but both are an important part of Yves Saint Laurent’s life in Marrakech – you can see both with a combination ticket. The Jardin Majorelle was discovered in 1966 by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé.

We were seduced by this oasis where colours used by Matisse were mixed with those of nature. When we heard that the garden was to be sold and replaced by a hotel, we did everything we could to stop that project from happening. This is how we eventually became owners of the garden and of the villa. And we have brought life back to the garden through the years.

Pierre Bergé  Yves Saint Laurent, “Une passion marocaine“

Welcoming a new year

Could you be so bold as an artist to make something personal and related to a visual theme in your design career? I personally avoid the holidays and all its associated gifts and cards because nothing ever seems just right – so maybe this year I just send some love.