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Laetitia Casta Dishes On Her Love Story With Yves Saint Laurent (PHOTOS)

First Posted: 02/16/11 08:08 AM ET   Updated: 05/25/11 07:30 PM ET

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Olivier Zahm sat down with French supermodel Laetitia Casta for Purple magazine's issue #15. She talked about her early days as a model, whether she considers herself a runway girl or and actress and divulged the details of her relationship with late designer Yves Saint Laurent.

Olivier Zahm: Yves Saint Laurent fell in love with you. You were the star of his last runway show, in 2002, which was a kind of retrospective fashion show. What happened between you and Saint Laurent?
Laetitia Casta: It was like a love story. We found each other. The first time I went to his studio I was extremely shy. I bowed my head. But the funniest thing is that he did, too. The clothes they gave me didn't work at all.. I was too small, too round, and not slender enough to be a Saint Laurent model. It just didn't work. While he was putting a jacket on me the stylist, who didn't know I spoke French, said, "What can we do with her?" I was terrified. He ended up putting a black skirt and sweater on me, with a little bun, and I found myself in front of Monsieur Saint Laurent. I didn't know where to stand, and he didn't either. I was so moved to meet him. And I think he was moved to meet me, too. He declared his ove for me on the spot. He said, "You very beautiful." He lowered his head, as if to say to me, "I love you." Everyone was uncomfortable.

OZ: You did several of his last runway shows.
LC: He wanted me to do them. He asked me, "What kind of dress do you want to wear?" I was really youn and I answered in any old way, like, "I was a dress with flowers/" I feel that Yves Saint Laurent was the one who allowed me to become aware of my femininity. He brought it out. He was the first person to say, "You beautiful." No one had even said that to me before.

OZ: Photographers must have told you that. Or lovers...
LC: Not in such a convincing way. When Yves Saint Laurent said, "You beautiful," or when he'd whisper," I don't like models," when he was surrounded by the most beautiful women in the world, I believed him. He made me understand that he could see something else in me other than my appearance. What he was saying was that he loved real women, women with heart, women with character. He took me somewhere else.


Take a look at images from the accompanying shoot by Terry Richardson. The theme is apparently statues...statuesque beauty, let's say!

For more, head over to Purple or Purple Diary.

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Scroll down for photos! Olivier Zahm sat down with French supermodel Laetitia Casta for Purple magazine's issue #15. She talked about her early days as a model, whether she considers herself a runw...
Scroll down for photos! Olivier Zahm sat down with French supermodel Laetitia Casta for Purple magazine's issue #15. She talked about her early days as a model, whether she considers herself a runw...
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09:37 PM on 02/17/2011
Ms. Casta is certainly a classic, timeless beauty. But am I the only one who thinks that Terry Richardson is *extremely* overrated?
10:59 PM on 02/16/2011
So gorgeous - like an embodiment of freedom.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Lozange
Aiming around wondrously
10:50 PM on 02/16/2011
It sounds like a sweet pairing of two of a kind. Casta has the Corsican wholesomeness that would cut a contrast to couture girls. I wish I'd been there.
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unami
sonic truth
07:54 PM on 02/16/2011
“This profession has such a low status in Germany.â€
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
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tcnsrq
excuse me
06:00 PM on 02/16/2011
not slender enough???...really???...what shite
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thetruthhoits
05:39 PM on 02/16/2011
She's gorgeous and so sexy!
Kali03
Obama/Biden 2012
03:35 PM on 02/16/2011
Oh, I just love her! Casta is definitely a life time favorite. What a classic beauty she is, and what a pretty story, that of meeting YSL.

Kali
02:57 PM on 02/16/2011
A great beauty and a sweet story ...
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PaddockGirl
Power to the People
12:13 PM on 02/16/2011
She is so beautiful. One of my favorite models. The story between her and YSL is very touching. He was such a lovely and gentle man.
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GoodbyeRubyTuesday
Daring Denouncer of Dominionists
12:02 PM on 02/16/2011
Yves Saint Laurent - his beautiful clothes show how much he did love women.
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108vc
10:14 AM on 02/16/2011
still one of my favorites...so naturally beautiful and voluptuous