Yves Saint Laurent's Top 5 Fashion Contributions
- Diversity on the Runway. While it’s not always the case, many modern-day runway shows feature the beauty of models from varying ethnicities.
- The Mondrian Dress - 1965. Yves Saint Laurent brought art to fashion, quite literally, with his Mondrian dress designs in 1965.
- Le Smoking Suit – 1967. ...
- The Safari Jacket -1968. ...
- Sheer Fabrics – 1968. ...
What did YSL do in the 1960s?
In the 1960s and 1970s, the firm popularized fashion trends such as the beatnik look; safari jackets for men and women; tight trousers; tall, thigh-high boots; and arguably the most famous classic tuxedo suit for women “Le Smoking”. By feminizing the basic shapes of the male wardrobe, YSL set new standards for world fashion.
What are the best YSL bags you need to know?
Starting with the buzziest Saint Laurent bags you can pick up right now and moving on to some of the brand’s historical staples, these are the best YSL bags you need to know. 1. Saint Laurent Sac De Jour The Sac De Jour was one of Hedi Slimane’s additions to the Saint Laurent brand.
Why is YSL Rive gauche so popular?
The French designer opened his Pret-a-Porter House YSL Rive Gauche in 1967 where he was starting to shift his focus from Haute Couture to Ready-to-wear. One of the purposes was to provide a wider range of fashionable styles being available to choose from in the market as they were affordable and cheaper.
How did Yves Saint Laurent become famous?
Yves Saint Laurent was born in Algeria in 1936, and already as a child, he was drawn to beauty and fashion, designing dresses for the women in his family. He moved to Paris at the age of 17 to study fashion. His talent was quickly acknowledged by the major players in the Paris fashion industry, and Christian Dior took him under his wing.
What styles is Yves Saint Laurent known for?
Fashion anarchist and feminist Yves Saint Laurent dressed his muses in tuxedos, trousers, and see-through blouses. He invented the trapeze dress and 'safari' style; he brought turtlenecks and camouflage into vogue.
What does the brand YSL stand for?
Yves Saint Laurent SASYves Saint Laurent SAS (/ˌiːv ˌsæ̃ lɔːˈrɒ̃/, also UK: /- lɒˈ-/, US: /- loʊˈ-/; French: [iv sɛ̃ lɔʁɑ̃] ( listen); YSL), also known as Saint Laurent, is a French luxury fashion house founded by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé.
What inspires YSL?
For his spring 1971 collection, Yves Saint Laurent was inspired in part by childhood memories of his mother's dress in 1940s Algeria — and also by the flea market clothes sported by his coterie of female friends, such as Paloma Picasso and Donna Jordan.
Is Saint Laurent considered luxury?
Today, they continue to be one of the top-sellers of luxury leather goods, bags, jewellery, and shoes. Below, we'll take a look at some of the factors that influenced and contributed towards Saint Laurent's ascent to the top of the luxury bag industry.
Do you pronounce the T in Laurent?
Yves Saint Laurent is pronounced EVE SAN-LAW-ROHN. The letter “t” in both “Saint” and “Laurent” is silent. In 2012, Yves Saint Laurent's eponymous label was renamed Saint Laurent Paris as part of creative director Hedi Slimane's rebranding.
How much is YSL worth?
The total value of Yves Saint Laurent under the sale is roughly $636 million, analysts said.
Who did YSL design for?
DiorThe Beatnik Couturier? Between 1958 and 1960, Yves Saint Laurent designed six collections for Dior.
What does YSL mean in rap?
Young Stoner Life RecordsYSL Records (also known as Young Stoner Life Records) is an Atlanta-based record label imprint founded by the Atlanta-based rapper Young Thug. The company is a label imprint of 300 Entertainment. Its artists include Gunna, Lil Keed, and more.
Is YSL the same as Saint Laurent?
HEDI SLIMANE is changing the name of Yves Saint Laurent to Saint Laurent Paris as part of his makeover for the label. Slimane took over from Stefano Pilati as the fashion house's new creative director in March this year.
Is YSL part of Gucci?
1999: Yves Saint Laurent – The fashion house, founded in 1961 by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Berge, was acquired by the Gucci Group in 1999. The Gucci Group purchased Sanofi Beaute, owner of the Yves Saint Laurent brand, from PPR, which had purchased it 5 years earlier, for about $1 billion.
Why are Saint Laurent bags so popular?
Signatures include simple, structured silhouettes; materials such as suede and shearling; and techniques such as quilting to add softness. It's this refined aesthetic that bestows Saint Laurent bags their everlasting appeal—the demand for which is now at its peak.
Who is YSL ambassador?
Troye SivanTroye Sivan Named YSL Beauty U.S. Ambassador.
What is Yves jacket?
Inspired by the idea of prêt-á-porter ("ready-to-wear"), and the merging of function and style, Yves took a military-type jacket traditionally worn by the British Army in India at the beginning of the 19th century and turned it into a symbol of sensuality, power, and utility. This beige cotton piece of clothing features two large front pockets and a V-neckline with laces—and it works incredibly well. To this day, the design still inspires new styles across the world.
What year did Saint Laurent use Moroccan fabrics?
In the middle of 1968, a year characterized by the intense cultural and political movements of a cosmopolitan society opening up to the hippie-chic experiences, Saint Laurent took the fabrics and colors of Moroccan sensuality in order to repurpose (or appropriate, as some would argue) traditional kaftans for westernized fashion. If nothing else, with this design, Yves brought us motion, reliability, and loose and mysterious shapes.
Has Yves Saint Laurent done anything?
No one else has accomplished what Yves Saint Laurent has. In the fashion world, there are very few names that can boas t having revolution ized women's closets around the planet—and he's one of them. When no other couturier dared venture beyond the traditional standards and safe havens of haute couture, Yves took a leap of faith with prêt -á-porter .
What is Yves Saint Laurent famous for?
Throughout his career he created iconic designs, such as his 'Le Smoking suit' and his 'Mondrian dress', which all propelled fashion to what it is today. Click through to discover five of Yves Saint Laurent’s most notable contributions to fashion.
When did Saint Laurent start his own show?
It was in 1962 when Saint Laurent decided to venture out on his own, showing his first couture show. While that one garnered mixed emotions, his second show in the same year had the press praising his designs, which was just the beginning for the rising fashion designer.
How old was Saint Laurent when he was hired at Dior?
He was only 21 years old. While at Dior, Saint Laurent managed to shock the clientele with youth-oriented collections and hemlines that hit above the knee. He was warned to tone down, but didn’t. In 1960, three years after he got hired at Dior, Saint Laurent was called to military service and dispatched back to Algeria.
When did Saint Laurent's blouse come out?
Saint Laurent envisioned clothing that was freeing, and he created that freedom with a sheer blouse, the first to hit the runway in 1968 . It was such a scandal, as the model was bare-chested underneath, that magazines refused to publish photos of the design.
Who wore the safari jacket?
In the fifties and sixties the pocketed jacket was worn by Clark Gable and Charlton Heston, amongst others –until Saint Laurent blew it out of the water.
Who is the most influential designer in fashion?
Yves Saint Laurent' s Top 5 Fashion Contributions. Yves Saint Laurent was one of the most influential designers to ever live. The Algerian-born fashion icon got his first training as a young teenager, when he fled to Paris and enrolled at the Chambre. Yves Saint Laurent was one of the most influential designers to ever live.
Who was the first black model to walk in a Saint Laurent show?
Take model Mounia, for example, who was the first ever black model to walk in a Saint Laurent show. Of Saint Laurent, she said, “I was his first black muse…. He helped open the door for black models. Sometimes I was his confidante, and I would sometimes inspire his creativity.”.
Who is Yves Saint Laurent?
Yves Saint Laurent. Yves Saint Laurent was best known as an influential European fashion designer who impacted fashion in the 1960s to the present day.
What did Saint Laurent wear?
Models and actresses gushed over his creations. He outfitted women in blazers and smoking jackets, and introduced att ire like the pea coat to the runway . His signature pieces also included the sheer blouse and the jumpsuit.
Why was Saint Laurent so nervous?
Saint Laurent was not popular in school, and was often bullied by schoolmates for appearing to be homosexual. As a consequence, Saint Laurent was a nervous child, and sick nearly every day. He found solace, however, in the world of fashion. He liked to create intricate paper dolls, and by his early teen years he was designing dresses ...
Why did Saint Laurent go back to Algeria?
Going His Own Way. In 1960 Saint Laurent was called back to his home country of Algeria to fight for its independence. He managed to secure an exemption based on health grounds, but when he returned to Paris, Saint Laurent found that his job with Dior had disappeared.
How old was Saint Laurent when his mother took him to Paris?
At the age of 17, a whole new world opened up to Saint Laurent when his mother took him to Paris for a meeting she'd arranged with Michael de Brunhoff, the editor of French Vogue.
When did Saint Laurent break up with Berge?
Under the direction of Berge, who continued to manage Saint Laurent's firm even though the two had broken up in 1986, the fashion house flourished as a money making venture. But Saint Laurent struggled. He became reclusive, and fought addictions to alcohol and cocaine.
Who introduced Saint Laurent to Dior?
De Brunhoff also introduced Saint Laurent to designer Christian Dior, a giant in the fashion world. "Dior fascinated me," Saint Laurent later recalled. "I couldn't speak in front of him. He taught me the basis of my art. Whatever was to happen next, I never forgot the years I spent at his side.".
When did YSL leave Paris?
July 15th, 2015. There are not many designers who can go by three simple letters and become instantly recognisable. But YSL can. His life started out in 1936 in Algeria, where he would leave for Paris at 17 to become fashions guiding light in the mid-part of the twentieth century.
Where did Saint Laurent get his inspiration from?
Saint-Laurent drew inspiration not just from art but from far flung lands of Africa, Russian and the Orient all to critical acclaim.
Who is Yves Saint Laurent?
Who was Yves Saint Laurent? Yves Henri Donat Matthieu Saint Laurent was an Algerian-French fashion designer who is one of the greatest and most celebrated icons of the fashion industry. World renowned since the age of 21 when he shot to fame as the savior of Christian Dior, he is credited with having introduced the tuxedo suit for women ...
Where was Charles Saint Laurent born?
He was born on August 1, 1936, in Oran, Algeria, to Charles Saint Laurent, a lawyer and insurance broker, and his wife, Lucienne Mathieu. He was the eldest child of the family with two younger sisters, Michèle and Brigitte. From a young age, he was a nervous child and mostly remained sick.
What was Yves Saint Laurent inspired by?
For his spring 1971 collection, Yves Saint Laurent was inspired in part by childhood memories of his mother’s dress in 1940s Algeria — and also by the flea market clothes sported by his coterie of female friends, such as Paloma Picasso and Donna Jordan. This fur coat, with its broad padded shoulders and bright green hue, was a standout piece.
What was Yves Saint Laurent's collection like in 1971?
Yves Saint Laurent’s 1971 collection was frequently denigrated as “tarty,” and the models were compared to 1940s streetwalkers. “For years the eye was used to a boyish girl without breasts, waist or hips. I never thought the appearance of a true woman would provoke such a scandal,” Saint Laurent told The New York Times that year.
What was Saint Laurent's most famous collection?
In the latter half of the 1970s, Yves Saint Laurent began a sequence of collections exploring folkloric dress — the most famous being his 1976 Ballets Russes collection, often dubbed “Rich Peasant” or “Hippy de luxe.”. That October, he presented a ready-to-wear collection of 281 outfits; it lasted over two hours.
When did Yves Saint Laurent start smoking?
By the end of the 1960s, Yves Saint Laurent’s position in fashion history was assured. In 1966, he showed his first “Le Smoking” tuxedos for women — although many were refused entry to fashionable restaurants if they were wearing pants. And he bared breasts, to gasps, in 1968.
Where did Saint Laurent start his boutique?
In September 1966, Saint Laurent opened a boutique on Paris’s Rue de Tournon to sell ready-made clothes, rather than made-to-order haute couture. Because of its place on the Left Bank — the area that originally inspired his “Beat” collection for Dior — he called the venture “Rive Gauche.”.
When did Saint Laurent retire?
From then until his retirement in 2002, he would refine personal signatures and push his creations, specifically within haute couture, to new heights.
What was the first fashion designer to be inspired by youth?
In 1960, Yves Saint Laurent unveiled his “Beat” collection for Christian Dior, inspired by the existentialists of Paris’s bohemian Left Bank. The collection was largely black, and featured this black leather jacket embossed with a crocodile pattern and lined in mink. It represented the first time a fashion designer had been openly inspired by youth ...
What is the name of the YSL bag?
12. Saint Laurent Cassandra. Cassandra is one of those YSL handbags that combine classic brand elements with some unique touches. We would guess that this bag is named after Cassandre, the pseudonym used by Adolphe Jean Marie Mouron, who is the graphic designer that created the iconic tri-letter logo.
When did YSL bags come out?
Instead, it was only when the label was sold to Gucci in 1999 (now owned by Kering) and placed under the creative direction of Tom Ford that the first YSL bags were released. During the Tom Ford era, Yves Saint Laurent bags were dark but with a bohemian slouch, like the Mombasa hobo.
What is a YSL duffle bag?
A YSL duffle bag was a celebrity favorite in the early and mid-2010s. It was the first bag Hedi Slimane introduced to the Yves Saint Laurent range, and it’s easy to see how it became such a crowd-pleaser. This was before the tri-letter logo was introduced, so while the bag is archival, it’s not too obvious or conspicuous. The bag has minimal embellishments, but it stands out for its rounded shape and slightly wider interior. These days, you can only find it on websites like Vestiaire Collective.
What is the best Saint Laurent bag?
The uber-classy Kate is the best Saint Laurent bag for evening. This solid flap bag feels very structured and upscale, with clean lines, sleek leather, and a chain strap that adds a hint of shine. Like other YSL bags, the front flap is decorated with the brand’s tri-letter logo, with the newest iterations also including a party-ready tassel.
What is a Le 61?
Le 61 is a stunning saddle bag with a vintage feel. Its name refers to the year when YSL first launched , of course, and the medallion logo does a wonderful way of celebrating that. This bag definitely shows off its branding, but in a way that will never be construed as tacky or overly materialistic. The medium-sized bag is comfortable for day-to-day carrying, though it might be too casual for the evening. You can get it from YSL or Farfetch.
When was the Saint Laurent Manhattan handbag released?
Saint Laurent Manhattan. Released in 2019, this Saint Laurent handbag got fashion editors to exclaim that Anthony Vaccarello finally broke the mold. For those that don’t follow YSL releases closely, there is no way to immediately know that this is a YSL purse, although we’d consider that a feature, not a bug.
Does Saint Laurent have a zipper?
Saint Laurent handbags continue to exemplify elegance in this tote. This tote bag is remarkably simple with a roomie interior (especially for YSL purses) and no top zipper – just a snap button to keep it shut. For some, it might work as a day-to-day bag, but we could see it as especially convenient for carrying files.

Overview
Personal life and career
In 1953, Saint Laurent submitted three sketches to a contest for young fashion designers organized by the International Wool Secretariat. Saint Laurent won first place. Subsequently, he was invited to attend the awards ceremony held in Paris in December of that same year.
During his stay in Paris, Saint Laurent met Michel de Brunhoff (who was then e…
Early life
Saint Laurent was born on 1 August 1936, in Oran, French Algeria, to French parents, Charles and Lucienne Andrée Mathieu-Saint-Laurent. He grew up in a villa by the Mediterranean with his two younger sisters, Michèle and Brigitte. Saint Laurent liked to create intricate paper dolls, and by his early teen years, he was designing dresses for his mother and sisters. At the age of 17, Saint Laurent moved to Paris and enrolled at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, where his de…
Later life
A favorite among his female clientele, Saint Laurent had numerous muses that inspired his work. Among them were: French model Victoire Doutreleau, who opened his first fashion show in 1962; Loulou de la Falaise, the daughter of a French marquis and an Anglo-Irish model, who became the jewelry designer for the brand; Betty Catroux, the half-Brazilian daughter of an American diplomat, who Saint Laurent considered his "twin sister"; French actress Catherine Deneuve; French model …
Death
Saint Laurent died on 1 June 2008 of brain cancer at his residence in Paris. According to The New York Times, a few days prior, he and Bergé had been joined in a same-sex civil union known as a Pacte civil de solidarité (PACS) in France. When Saint Laurent was diagnosed as terminal, with only one or two weeks left to live, Bergé and the doctor mutually decided that it would be better for him not to know of his impending death. Bergé said, "I have the belief that Yves would not ha…
Legacy
In February 2009, an auction of 733 items was held by Christie's at the Grand Palais, ranging from paintings by Picasso to ancient Egyptian sculptures. Saint Laurent and Bergé began collecting art in the 1950s; before the sale, Bergé commented that the decision to sell the collection was taken because, without Saint Laurent, "it has lost the greater part of its significance", with the proceeds proposed for the creation of a new foundation for AIDS research.
In popular culture
• 2002: David Teboul's Yves Saint Laurent: His Life and Times
• 2002: Yves Saint Laurent: 5 Avenue Marceau 75116 Paris
• 2009: Pierre Thoretton's L'Amour Fou
• 2014: Yves Saint Laurent
See also
• Fashion portal