Haute couture--original designs painstakingly created from the finest fabrics--once comprised a sizable, though exclusive and expensive, portion of the fashion industry. Increasingly replaced by ready-to-wear lines, only a handful of couture houses remained at the beginning of the 21st century. When designer Yves Saint Laurent announced his retirement in 2002, it marked a true end to the era.

In the documentary YVES SAINT LAURENT: 5, AVENUE MARCEAU 75116 PARIS, filmmaker David Teboul captures the famed designer as he completes one of his final collections. This film serves as a companion to another of Teboul's documentaries, YVES SAINT LAURENT: HIS LIFE AND TIMES, which provides a more in-depth biography of the designer. Teboul uses a cinema verite style, capturing his subjects without narration or other comment, to illustrate the unique mixture of free-spirited group commentary and methodic production that helps to create a Saint Laurent season. Teboul's spare narrative as he moves viewers from sketch to model fitting, often not even revealing the finished product, places primary attention on the design process. As he expounds on the beauty of the clothing and the models, Saint Laurent's love for his craft and the people who help to bring his designs to life becomes clear and evident. Ultimately, this testament to Saint Laurent's genius shows that he has left an indelible mark on a fickle business. Featured guests include Saint Laurent's constant muse Loulou De La Falaise, Catherine Deneuve, and model Laetetia Casta.

IN THEATRES: JANUARY 7, 2004 (NY)

DVD Features:

2-Disc Set
Audio:
Dolby Digital - French
Subtitles - English - Optional
Additional Release Material:
Trailers - Trailer Gallery
Text/Photo Galleries:
Biographies - Yves Saint Laurent Biography

DISC 1: HIS LIFE AND TIMES
DISC 2: 5 AVENUE MARCEAU 75116 PARIS

Distributor Notes: Two full-length feature documentaries about the man who re-imagined women's fashion. His Life and Times is an intimate biography featuring extensive interviews with the reclusive designer. 5 Avenue Marceau 75116 Paris is a behind-the-scenes look inside Saint Laurent's legendary atelier during the creation of his final Spring line in 2002. Together the films form "a timeless portrait of an artist at work - a celebration of human endeavor" (Los Angeles Times).

Source: First Run Features Home Video

David Teboul: Director, YVES SAINT LAURENT: F, AVENUE MARCEAU... (2004)

David Teboul: Director, YVES SAINT LAURENT: F, AVENUE MARCEAU... (2004)