Pierre Bergé
Encyclopedia
Pierre Bergé (born November 14, 1930) is a French
industrialist and patron
. He is perhaps best known as the co-founder of Yves Saint Laurent Couture House
and former partner
of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
(Charente-Maritime
). His mother Christiane was an amateur soprano
and a progressive teacher who used the Montessori method
. His father worked for the tax office and was a great rugby
enthusiast. Bergé attended the Lycée Eugène Fromentin in La Rochelle
, and later went to Paris
. On the day of his arrival, as he was walking on the Champs-Élysées
, French poet Jacques Prévert
fell on him while attempting suicide
. During these early years in Paris, Pierre Bergé befriended the young French artist Bernard Buffet and was a great help in forwarding Buffet's success.
In 1992, Bergé sold shares of the fashion house just before the company released a poor economic report. In 1996, this action was deemed to be insider trading
and he was sentenced to a fine of one million Franc
s. After the close of the Couture House, Bergé became President of The Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent Foundation.
During Bergé's eulogy of Saint Laurent, he reflected on their lifetime of memories, saying;
, which supported the candidacy of François Mitterrand
for the presidential election. Bergé participated in all the campaign rallies of François Mitterrand (contrary to 1981, when he did not vote for Mitterrand). Bergé later went on to serve as President of the association of the friends of Institut François-Mitterrand. In 1993, he helped to launch the magazine Globe Hebdo.
A longtime fan and patron of Opera, Mitterrand appointed Bergé president of Opéra Bastille
on 31 August 1988. He retired from the post in 1994, becoming honorary President of the Paris National Opera. He currently serves as President of the Médiathèque Musicale Mahler
, a non-profit library with extensive collections relating to 19th and 20th century music. He is also President of the Comité Jean Cocteau, and the exclusive owner of all moral rights of all of Jean Cocteau
's works.
A supporter of gay rights, he supported the association against AIDS
, Act Up-Paris
, and assumed ownership of the magazine Têtu
. He was also one of the shareholders of Pink TV, before withdrawing. In 1994, he participated with Line Renaud
in the creation of the AIDS association Sidaction
, and he became its president in 1996, a position he still holds. Sidaction is one of the main associations fighting AIDS in Europe.
Bergé's philanthropic patronages have included UNESCO
. In July 1992, Bergé was appointed UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
In 2007 he supported the candidacy of Ségolène Royal
. On a more general basis, he is considered as her sponsor. For example, since late 2008, she is no longer heading the French socialist party and he is paying for the rental of her political office located between French Senate and House of Representants (but he stopped paying 3 March 2011).
The art collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Bergé was put for sale by the latter in February 2009. Among the auctioned are two small statues looted from the Old Summer Palace
in China by British and French expeditionary forces during the Qing dynasty Second Opium War
in 1860. When China
requested the return of these statues, Bergé refused and declared “I am prepared to offer this bronze head to the Chinese straight away. All they have to do is to declare they are going to apply human rights
, give the Tibet
ans back their freedom and agree to accept the Dalai Lama on their territory," and he also said, "It's obviously blackmail
but I accept that." Bergé's rejection and statement has provoked wide criticism in China and has been regarded as a 'political blackmail'.
, Officer of the Ordre National du Mérite
, Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, and Legion of Honor
.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
industrialist and patron
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
. He is perhaps best known as the co-founder of Yves Saint Laurent Couture House
Yves Saint Laurent (brand)
Yves Saint Laurent or YSL is a luxury fashion house founded by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé. Today, its chief designer is Stefano Pilati. Yves Saint Laurent, founder of the brand, died in 2008.-History:...
and former partner
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
Early life
Bergé was born at in OléronOléron
Île d'Oléron is an island off the Atlantic coast of France , on the southern side of the Pertuis d'Antioche strait....
(Charente-Maritime
Charente-Maritime
Charente-Maritime is a department on the west coast of France named after the Charente River.- History :Previously a part of Saintonge, Charente-Inférieure was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
). His mother Christiane was an amateur soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
and a progressive teacher who used the Montessori method
Montessori method
Montessori education is an educational approach developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori. Montessori education is practiced in an estimated 20,000 schools worldwide, serving children from birth to eighteen years old.-Overview:...
. His father worked for the tax office and was a great rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
enthusiast. Bergé attended the Lycée Eugène Fromentin in La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
, and later went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. On the day of his arrival, as he was walking on the Champs-Élysées
Champs-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
, French poet Jacques Prévert
Jacques Prévert
Jacques Prévert was a French poet and screenwriter. His poems became and remain very popular in the French-speaking world, particularly in schools. Some of the movies he wrote are extremely well regarded, with Les Enfants du Paradis considered one of the greatest films of all time.-Life and...
fell on him while attempting suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. During these early years in Paris, Pierre Bergé befriended the young French artist Bernard Buffet and was a great help in forwarding Buffet's success.
Yves Saint Laurent
Bergé met Yves Saint Laurent in 1958. They became romantically involved and together launched Yves Saint Laurent Couture House in 1961. The couple split amicably in 1976 but remained lifelong friends and business partners. Bergé acted as C.E.O. of Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture until it shuttered in 2002. Highly protective and invested in the reputation and legacy of Saint Laurent Couture, Bergé was known as the "Dean of Yves Saint Laurent"In 1992, Bergé sold shares of the fashion house just before the company released a poor economic report. In 1996, this action was deemed to be insider trading
Insider trading
Insider trading is the trading of a corporation's stock or other securities by individuals with potential access to non-public information about the company...
and he was sentenced to a fine of one million Franc
French franc
The franc was a currency of France. Along with the Spanish peseta, it was also a de facto currency used in Andorra . Between 1360 and 1641, it was the name of coins worth 1 livre tournois and it remained in common parlance as a term for this amount of money...
s. After the close of the Couture House, Bergé became President of The Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent Foundation.
During Bergé's eulogy of Saint Laurent, he reflected on their lifetime of memories, saying;
"I remember your first collection under your name and the tears at the end. Then the years passed. Oh, how they passed quickly. The divorce was inevitable but the love never stopped."
Philanthropic, cultural, and political interests
In 1987 Bergé launched the French magazine GlobeGlobe
A globe is a three-dimensional scale model of Earth or other spheroid celestial body such as a planet, star, or moon...
, which supported the candidacy of François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
for the presidential election. Bergé participated in all the campaign rallies of François Mitterrand (contrary to 1981, when he did not vote for Mitterrand). Bergé later went on to serve as President of the association of the friends of Institut François-Mitterrand. In 1993, he helped to launch the magazine Globe Hebdo.
A longtime fan and patron of Opera, Mitterrand appointed Bergé president of Opéra Bastille
Opéra Bastille
L'Opéra Bastille ' is a modern opera house in Paris, France. It is the home base of the Opéra national de Paris and was designed to replace the Palais Garnier, which is nowadays mainly used for ballet performances....
on 31 August 1988. He retired from the post in 1994, becoming honorary President of the Paris National Opera. He currently serves as President of the Médiathèque Musicale Mahler
Médiathèque Musicale Mahler
The Médiathèque Musicale Mahler is a multimedia library with collections relating to music of the 19th and 20th centuries. The institution is located in an elegant private house near the Parc Monceau in Paris at 11 bis rue de Vézelay...
, a non-profit library with extensive collections relating to 19th and 20th century music. He is also President of the Comité Jean Cocteau, and the exclusive owner of all moral rights of all of Jean Cocteau
Jean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Kenneth Anger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Erik Satie, María...
's works.
A supporter of gay rights, he supported the association against AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, Act Up-Paris
AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power
AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power is an international direct action advocacy group working to impact the lives of people with AIDS and the AIDS pandemic to bring about legislation, medical research and treatment and policies to ultimately bring an end to the disease by mitigating loss of health and...
, and assumed ownership of the magazine Têtu
Têtu
Têtu is a gay magazine published in France. It is subtitled in French le magazine des gays et lesbiennes .-History:...
. He was also one of the shareholders of Pink TV, before withdrawing. In 1994, he participated with Line Renaud
Line Renaud
- Early life :Line Renaud was born in Pont-de-Nieppe on 2 July 1928. Her mother Simone was a shorthand typist; her father was a truck driver during the week, but he played trumpet at the weekends, in a local brass band...
in the creation of the AIDS association Sidaction
Sidaction
Sidaction is a major French public event that started in 1994 in France for raising awareness and collecting charitable funds for AIDS. It donates important sums to various AIDS charities, AIDS research, institutions specializing in medical care and social aid for those suffering of HIV/AIDS in...
, and he became its president in 1996, a position he still holds. Sidaction is one of the main associations fighting AIDS in Europe.
Bergé's philanthropic patronages have included UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. In July 1992, Bergé was appointed UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
In 2007 he supported the candidacy of Ségolène Royal
Ségolène Royal
Marie-Ségolène Royal , known as Ségolène Royal, is a French politician. She is the president of the Poitou-Charentes Regional Council, a former member of the National Assembly, a former government minister, and a prominent member of the French Socialist Party...
. On a more general basis, he is considered as her sponsor. For example, since late 2008, she is no longer heading the French socialist party and he is paying for the rental of her political office located between French Senate and House of Representants (but he stopped paying 3 March 2011).
The art collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Bergé was put for sale by the latter in February 2009. Among the auctioned are two small statues looted from the Old Summer Palace
Old Summer Palace
The Old Summer Palace, known in China as Yuan Ming Yuan , and originally called the Imperial Gardens, was a complex of palaces and gardens in Beijing...
in China by British and French expeditionary forces during the Qing dynasty Second Opium War
Second Opium War
The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war pitting the British Empire and the Second French Empire against the Qing Dynasty of China, lasting from 1856 to 1860...
in 1860. When China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
requested the return of these statues, Bergé refused and declared “I am prepared to offer this bronze head to the Chinese straight away. All they have to do is to declare they are going to apply human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, give the Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
ans back their freedom and agree to accept the Dalai Lama on their territory," and he also said, "It's obviously blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
but I accept that." Bergé's rejection and statement has provoked wide criticism in China and has been regarded as a 'political blackmail'.
Recognition
Bergé has been recognized with the Order of Orange-NassauOrder of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
, Officer of the Ordre National du Mérite
Ordre National du Mérite
The Ordre national du Mérite is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle...
, Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, and Legion of Honor
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
.