Loulou de la Falaise
I can still clearly hear her voice, her laugh. She could hardly say more than three words without laughing, and it was so beautiful — a big and sudden "Ha!" Her class and elegance were common knowledge, but I was always struck by her fun side. Her mind was so fresh and young, as if she didn't see things as adults do. From her, I learned that Yves Saint Laurent could in fact be the funniest and most mischievous person — maybe from being around her. Loulou's own fun was really contagious.
She taught me how to de-dramatize, that elegance can chill out a bit. Only she could pair such a level of refinement and sophistication with nonchalance and ease. She had a gift for striking combinations of colors. I sometimes hear myself saying, "This is a palette that Loulou would really like." And whenever I would look at her hands in action, I would imagine them cutting flowers in her garden to make simple bouquets, full of life.
Theyskens is artistic director of Theory