In 2008, the world lost the genius visionary Yves Saint Laurent, who revolutionized and transformed feminine fashion, freeing women from prejudices and stereotypes. He aimed to find the equivalent of men’s suits for women. A lover of aesthetics in all its forms, including fine arts and literature, Yves had one of the largest and most valuable private book collections in the world.

He also enjoyed his mother’s magazines, such as Jardin des Modes, Paris Match, and Vogue, from which he would cut out photographs of models to make his own collection of paper dolls. He would paint and glue on dresses he designed and made himself.

From making paper dolls to Dior and YSL

Yves was born on August 1, 1936, and died on June 1, 2008, after a battle with brain cancer. At 17, Yves Saint Laurent participated in the annual competition of the International Wool Secretariat, a crucial contest in the world of fashion that became the first step in his career. The jury included prestigious couturiers like Hubert de Givenchy and Christian Dior.

His father asked some of his contacts to help him meet Michel de Brunhoff, editor-in-chief of Vogue, whom Yves admired. De Brunhoff was very influential in Saint Laurent’s career; he encouraged him to continue designing and then to move to Paris to advance his career in the fashion industry. Once he had finished school, Yves moved to Paris in 1954 to study at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture. Michel de Brunhoff introduced him to Christian Dior, who was so impressed by his sketches that he hired him immediately as a “Modelist” and later appointed him as his assistant.

Saint Laurent’s impact Dior’s Haute Couture

Given the demands of his work, Yves Saint Laurent decided to quit his schooling in 1955 to dedicate his full attention to his career at Maison Dior. In 1957, when Christian Dior died of a heart attack, Yves Saint Laurent was named artistic director of the firm at Dior’s expressed wishes before his death.

The meeting with Pierre Bergé, who later became his business partner and lifelong companion, happened at Dior’s funeral. They didn’t meet each other until sometime later when they were introduced at a dinner party by Marie-Louise Bousquet of Harper’s Bazaar, who thought they should meet. Bergé was instantly fascinated by the young man and became Yves Saint Laurent’s lover and business associate for the rest of his life.

1966 first tuxedo

Yves Saint Laurent designed the first women’s tuxedo. Though not well received by reviewers or purchasers, the tuxedo jacket gained praise from his first ready-to-wear boutique’s customers a few weeks later on rue Tournon.

Yves Saint Laurent’s greatest designs that still inspire artists

In 1958, Yves Saint Laurent, already at the reins of Dior, moved away from the wasp waist and tight tube skirt, which restricted women’s movement, and introduced his creation of the trapeze dress, which granted more flexibility and freedom to move. On exhibition are some of the iconic designs that define the unique Yves Saint Laurent style. These groundbreaking creations caused a sensation in the fashion industry, quickly gaining popularity among modern women.

Polynésie Design inspired by Dior

While many of these designs were inspired by menswear, Yves Saint Laurent’s intention was not to make women look like men. Rather, he aimed to enhance their feminine allure, empowering women to express their own styles. His aesthetic blends sleekness and elegance, offering a fresh interpretation of femininity.

The next evolution in style by Saint Laurent at Dior consisted of lightening and shortening the dresses of Monsieur Dior. He eliminated corsets, using lighter fabrics to free the female body and allow enhanced movement. International fashion critics nicknamed him “Little Prince,” as he was considered the heir to all of Dior’s teachings. Vogue USA wrote, “A sensation is racing through Paris, something new for the city and for France: the growing influence of youth.”

1968 safari jacket

Saint Laurent revolutionized women’s design by redefining his style with the safari jacket, which was inspired by masculine dress standards. It wonderfully captured a new kind of seduction and the spirit of freedom ignited by the 1960s.

Yves Saint Laurent brought fresh air to the fashion world and stimulated the nation’s economy through the fashion industry’s contributions and impact on French commerce. In just one year and eight months, the time he had been the artistic director of Maison Dior, it accounted for 50% of all the fashion exports of the country.

Royals and celebrities from the entertainment industry began to seek him out to dress them. In 1959, the aristocratic Farah Diba married the Shah of Iran and became Empress of what was once known as Persia, wearing a Dior gown designed by Saint Laurent.

Yve’s Role in the popular comedy ‘The Pink Panther’

Yves Saint Laurent accepted an invitation to design the costumes for the beautiful Italian actress Claudia Cardinale and the beautiful French actress Capucine for their respective roles in the well-known comedy “The Pink Panther.” The film was directed by the American director Blake Edwards, and the English actor Peter Sellers also starred in the film as the famous Inspector Clouseau.

In the same year, 1963, the dance star Zizi Jeanmaire asked Yves Saint Laurent to design the famous central costume of the show “Champagne Rosé,” for which he made a striking creation in rooster, pheasant, and ostrich feathers dyed in different shades of pink and fuchsia.

Retirement and conclusion

In 1999, the Gucci Group acquired Yves Saint Laurent, leading to the designer’s retirement, which he announced at a press conference. His final retrospective parade was held at the Centre Pompidou. American designer Tom Ford then took over the ready-to-wear business. Yves Saint Laurent bid farewell to the fashion world in 2002.

Yves Saint Laurent passed away in Paris in 2008, leaving a significant void in the world of high fashion. Pierre Bergé, Yves Saint Laurent’s life and career companion, died in 2017. He was the entrepreneurial mind behind the creative genius, helping Yves revolutionize women’s apparel. Get more inspiration by visiting our website https://dashebeauty.com or follow up on our beauty blog. — Dashe Beauty Kuwait