A HISTORIC piece of fashion has been acquired by a County Durham museum.

The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, hosted the Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal exhibition in 2015, and has bought an Yves Saint Laurent suit once owned by Catherine Deneuve to add to its permanent collection.

The purchase has been made possible through a New Collecting Award grant from Art Fund to build a collection of French haute couture, the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and generous private donations.

One of Catherine Deneuve’s favourite outfits famously known as Le Smoking, is based on a man’s tuxedo, encapsulating Yves Saint Laurent’s creative genius and philosophy about giving women confidence to wear masculine styles.

The French actress, who had a life long association with the couturier, has sold more than 300 outfits at Christie’s Auction House in Paris. The suit, which had a guide price of 1,000 to 2,000 Euros, was bought for 5,625 Euros.

Joanna Hashagen, the museum's curator of fashion and textiles, said: “We are truly thrilled to have won this four piece ensemble comprising of a jacket with satin lapels and jewelled button, waistcoat, skirt and trousers in black lace with satin trim. It will genuinely complement our existing collection and become the final piece of a capsule French haute couture wardrobe that we believe our founder Joséphine Bowes would have worn if she was alive today. Like Catherine Deneuve, she was an actress with exquisite taste and timeless elegance.”

Olivier Flaviano, director of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent in Paris, said: “It is wonderful that The Bowes Museum has been able to buy this item. It’s only fitting that an iconic French château style museum should be the new home for such a sophisticated garment.”

Emma Coleman, programmes manager at Art Fund, said: “The Bowes was one of the first organisations to receive a grant through a New Collecting Award with Art Fund. It’s wonderful to see an iconic tuxedo style suit, which changed the history of women’s fashion, join their vibrant collection of French haute couture.