does anyone know how to date YSL from its couture number?

I've recently begun collecting Yves Saint Laurent couture pieces and have noticed that some sellers online claim to be able to date the collection from the style registration number located on the side of the label. Does anyone know how to do this? Many thanks!!

 

I don't know about dating haut couture YSL pieces, but I think they'd be really straightforward? Like either be labeled with the season or not. I think you might be referring to the serial numbers on high end YSL ready-to-wear pieces? (Not custom made) It's a little bit more work but on/near the care tag there's a series number with SS or FW and a two or four digit number. If that's what you're looking for, I can post a picture of a tag from a 2011 dress tonight as an example. Or you can post images of the item & tags you're trying to decipher

 

Thanks for your reply!
I'm referring to haute couture, not ready-to-wear. Here's an example of the label from one tweed jacket (attached), numbered 016112, which I've dated to fall 1967 based on archival drawings and photographs. Because the jacket is couture, there is no care tag.

The jacket I'm trying to date is a silk velvet collarless tuxedo jacket numbered 37801. I would post a picture but it's currently getting a few small repairs done at the tailor. It looks similar to a waistcoat in the fall 2001 couture collection but the other couture pieces I've seen from that period have numbers starting with 7 on the label. One of my questions is: do later pieces have higher numbers than early pieces?

 

Ah, ok. Yeah, that's outside my experience but hopefully the bump will bring in someone who's more familiar! I wonder if you reached out to YSL if they'd be able to tell you

 

The YSL HC designs are numbered sequentially. The number is the order number. Yes, later garments have higher numbers.
They may have "Look" books which are published for each season. No, I don't know how to get a Look book.
I don't know how to date YSL. I dated the Chanels using photos and numbers I had noted on museum garments. Sadly, that doesn't work for YSL.
Dior and Balenciaga have numbers all over the place.
I might add sadly, when I was doing museum research, museums do not include the bolduc number with the description. You have to look for it on or under the label.

 

I concur with Claire, in that the number is an sequential order number and you'd need a lot of them, with accurate datings for them to be useful to date your garment.

The short answer is that somewhere in the YSL office and factory/s there would have been a book with the order details, but without that inside knowledge, it's difficult to guess at these things.

There are many other tools, however: silhouette, fabric, colour, detailing, construction, finish etc. I realise this is an old thread and you may no longer be watching but if you'd like to post more photos we can help date.

Nicole

 

The companies do have the order books, but they WON'T share that information mainly because it's personal information on who bought the model and when.