fab field trip

Thursday morning, I was enlightened. Since Yves Saint Laurent's death this past Summer, the fashion world has been paying tribute and speaking praise. Perhaps one of the best ways to do both is to showcase an extensive collection of the artist's work. And so, the de Young museum of San Francisco gave me a sneak peek of Yves Saint Laurent's highly anticipated exhibition, spanning 40 years and 130 ensembles. The exhibit is open to the public Saturday.

The most special guest was there: Pierre Bergé, Yves's partner and business associate since 1961. Pierre spoke to a small group of local press and was humble and heartfelt. His words about Yves tugged on my heartstrings and got me really excited to view the exhibition. "Today is the first collection after his death." He referred to Yves as "one of the greatest of our time." He pointed out that "in our world women are more and more important" and Yves recognized that. "The collection is just a part of Yves's work," reminding us of the 5,000 plus YSL pieces that are preserved and kept in Paris. Can you imagine? He also called San Francisco "a beautiful city" and was proud to have the foggy city house such a collection. Side note: Pierre was wearing an Obama pin.

To read more about my enlightenment and to see loads of wonderful Yves Saint Laurent creations, read more

So I'm shoe obsessed. Who isn't? Imagine my elation when I found out the Saks in San Francisco was redoing its shoe department to mirror the famous New York one. The one I visit every time I'm in New York. The one I interviewed Lindsay Price in. The one with its own zip code. The one. Now there's a mini one right outside my office, on my way home, Fab. Team Fab took a peruse through the stunning new department and it's an underground shoe haven, complete with floating glass bubbles and 1,100 shoes. New brands include Ann Demeulemeester, Givenchy (yes!), Dries van Noten, and Gianvito Rossi. Shoes are displayed on various posh surfaces and a variety of chandeliers make the space feel warm and inviting. The curved banquettes make trying on shoes a deeply fabulous experience.

What made us swoon? Favorites included sequined Miu Mius, bowed Valentinos, edgy Givenchys, cheeky Chanels, and artsy Drieses. Oh, and the most massive Louboutin display, ever. They have more Louboutins than the Louboutin store in Paris. I kid you not. If you happen to be in SF anytime soon, put this on your itinerary.

For more shoes glorious shoes, read more

While Carla Bruni, Claudia Schiffer, and Catherine Deneuve paid their last respects to Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent by attending his funeral, Fab and PartySugar got dressed up in YSL-inspired outfits and visited the boutique on Maiden Lane in San Francisco. Our intention wasn't to shop (we swear!) but rather to be as close to Yves as humanly possible through the brand's groundbreaking, fabulous-beyond-words goods. I was inspired by Stefano Pilati's Spring '08 collection, and of course couldn't resist throwing on my Yves Saint Laurent Mini Star Bracelet as a finishing touch. Alas, we did walk out with bags — trois to be exact — but who can resist YSL anything (especially on sale)? Want to see what went down? Take a Fab field trip with us. Oh! And you didn't think we'd go without picking up something for you — stay tuned for a YSL handbag giveaway!

To see what we purchased and for some fun photos of our field trip, read more