What's So Good About Yves Saint Laurent?

After hearing that Yves Saint Laurent is on his death bed in Paris, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at what made the designer one of the most influential of the last 100 years.

Yves Saint Laurent began his career working under Christian Dior. In 1957 when Dior died, Yves (at the age of 21) was given the task of resurrecting the failing fashion house. He took on the task with great vigor, bringing the house back from financial ruin. Then, out of the blue, he was conscripted to the army. For a gentle homo like Yves this was a disaster. After 20 days of intense hazing by fellow recruits, Yves suffered what in those days, would have been called a nervous breakdown. He was hospitalized and eventually recovered.

It was in the wake of this disaster that Yves reinvented himself and began what many consider the most creative time of his life. Because of his breakdown he was released from Dior, thus allowing him to start his own label YSL.

So what makes Yves such an important figure in fashion?

Well for starters, without him ready-to-wear would not be what it is today. Yves was the first, in 1966, to popularize ready-to-wear in an attempt to democratize fashion, with Rive Gauche and the boutique of the same name.

He was also the first designer to use black models in his runway shows.

He also created what is said to be the most famous classic tuxedo suit for women in 1966, Le Smoking suit.

The Mondrian day dress, autumn 1965, was one of Yves most popular designs.

During the 1960s and 1970s, YSL was critical in popularizing fashion trends such as the Beatnik look.

In 1993 the Saint-Laurent fashion house was sold to the pharmaceuticals company Sanofi for approximately $600,000,000! Then in 1999 Gucci bought the brand.

Yves has spent the last few years living in Morocco.

His influence will be forever remembered.