SAINT LAURENT

Yves Saint Laurent was born on August 1, 1936, in Oran, Algeria. He began his career in fashion in the 1950s as a design assistant for Christian Dior. After Dior’s death in 1957, Saint Laurent became the head designer for the Dior fashion house. He quickly gained a reputation as a talented designer, and in 1960, he launched his own fashion house, Yves Saint Laurent Couture.

Saint Laurent’s designs were innovative and influential. He was one of the first designers to introduce the concept of ready-to-wear clothing, and he also introduced the tuxedo suit for women. In 1966, he introduced the “Saint Laurent Rive Gauche” line, which was aimed at a younger, more casual audience. His designs were renown for their elegance and simplicity, and he was a pioneer in using ethnic and exotic influences in fashion. Saint Laurent was the first designer to hire non-white models for his runway collection.

Throughout his career, Saint Laurent received many awards and honors. In 1983, he received the rank of commander of the Legion of Honor. In 1984, he received the Golden Thimble award, and in 2002, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards. Saint Laurent retired from fashion in 2002, and passed away on June 1, 2008, in Paris, France.

Many agree that no one did bags like Saint Laurent.