Yves Saint Laurent: Life in pictures
Dressing the modern woman
When it came to defining womens fashion in the 20th century, no designer was as influential as
The young designer
Born in Oran, Algeria, Saint Laurent spent his youth designing clothes. He would create doll-sized garments out of his mothers discarded dresses. (Loomis Dean / Getty Images)
Dior, the mentor
Soon after, Saint Laurent began to assist
After Diors death, 21-year-old Saint Laurent took over as chief designer. I was in a state of complete euphoria preparing that first collection,” Saint Laurent later recalled. “I knew I was going to become famous.” (Reg Lancaster / Getty Images)
Ready-to-wear
Saint Laurent started his own label in the 1960s, and with it, an affordable, ready-to-wear line. The idea of a ready-to-wear boutique was revolutionary at the time, and Saint Laurents fellow designers followed suit. (John Minihan / Getty Images)
Transforming women
Saint Laurents friend and business partner Pierre Berge described Saint Laurent this way: “He was a libertarian, an anarchist and he threw bombs at the legs of society. That’s how he transformed society and that’s how he transformed women.”
Berges assertion that Saint Laurent transformed women is hardly an overstatement. Saint Laurent popularized the womens pantsuit at a time when many restaurants and workplaces still prohibited women from wearing pants. (Reg Lancaster / Getty Images)
The empire expands
Saint Laurents empire expanded to include mens clothing, mens fragrance, and stores in the US. In 1983, he became the first living designer to be honored with a show at
On June 1, 2008, at the age of 71, the iconic designer died of an undisclosed illness. (Remy De La Mauviniere / Associated Press)
