An Exhibition Spotlighting the Creative Prowess of Yves Saint Laurent is on View in Portugal

Talk about staying power. Since early June, some 5,000 visitors have visited the Palace of the Dukes of Cadaval in Évora, Portugal. But they’ve come to see an exhibition relating to Morocco. That’s because it also involves an influential creative force who died in 2008.

“Love–Marrakech Opened My Eyes to Colour: Yves Saint Laurent” offers three different perspectives on the French fashion designer’s passion for the region, in two locations on the palace grounds. One of the sites is the Church of São João Evangelista, a 15th-century edifice with a stunning vaulted ceiling and azulejo tile paneling. Running down what had been the nave is a long platform populated with mannequins donning vintage Saint Laurent Rive Gauche pieces that were inspired by the designer’s first visit to Marrakech in 1966. In the palace proper are additional exhibits: one showcasing the work of 13 contemporary Moroccan artists and another, a collection of Saint Laurent’s annual handmade greeting cards, converted into poster form and featuring the word love.