Yves Saint Laurent would create some of the most iconic looks of the late 1960s and 1970s. Many were inspired by his designs and how muse Catherine Deneuve magically embodied his style. His “school girl” dress is but one example. At the time, other fashion designers like Mary Quant did their own “school girl” dresses, but it was Yves who somehow made it sophisticated and sexy. The impact of Belle de Jour was widespread, ranging from high fashion to ready-to-wear to sewing patterns for women who wanted to make their own clothing at home. This trickle-down effect from costume design to fashion design is shown below and even includes a dress from a pattern book of the late 1960s. Whether its the dress itself or look of the model, it screams of Belle de Jour style.
Recently the influence is equally extensive. In fashion, design houses such as Valentino, Calvin Klein, and Carven were inspired by Belle de Jour for Fall 2013. Some designers, such as Tommy Hilfiger, adore the movie so much that they continue to reference it in collection after collection. This is especially true of the military-inspired outerwear from the film. Fashionista Alexa Chung has adopted the “school girl” look as part of her personal style, even including the design in her own capsule collections for Madewell. Modern magazine editors frequently name and style photo shoots after Belle de Jour as well.
Eniko Mihalik modelling for Vogue Spain, September 2012. Photo by Vincent Peters
Tommy Hilfiger, Fall 2012-2013
Burberry, Fall Winter 2013
Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli for Valentino Fall/Winter 2013-2014
Allure magazine August 2013. Vinyl trench coat by Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein
Alexa Chung by David Vasiljevic for Elle UK. November 2010
In beauty, makeup artist François Nars has had a Belle de Jour shade of lipstick for many years in his eponymous line. He even expanded upon it in 2010 and styled model Amber Valletta to look like Catherine Deneuve for the advertising campaign
The Genealogy of Style 