Yves Saint Laurent Biography:
Born in French Algeria in 1936, designer Yves Saint Laurent rose to international prominence at unusually early age. In 1954, at the age of 18, the International Wool Secretariat awarded Saint Laurent first prize for his trend-breaking submission of an asymmetrical cocktail dress – a foretaste of the intrepid style innovations that would become characteristic of his life’s work.
Immediately following his award, Christian Dior hired Saint Laurent and, upon Dior’s death in 1957, he replaced his boss as the prestigious Haute Couture designer for the company.
Yves Saint Laurent Label:
Launching his own Couture house in 1962 under the sponsorship of CEO Pierre Borge, Saint Laurent continued to specialize in women’s wear, with Rive Gauche boutiques serving as the flagships of his commercial enterprise. The designer buttressed his repertoire with the addition of men’s wear in 1974.
In 1992, the YSL brand ran into a bit of trouble when CEO Pierre Borge was convicted of insider trading and sentenced to a fine of 1 million Francs. The company nevertheless continued to be competitive in the world of fashion.
Yves Saint Laurent Later Years:
In 1996, the designer ended his 30-year run of fashion shows for his Pret-a-Porter collection. From then until his retirement, Saint Laurent offered peeks at his new designs to a select group of journalists alone.
Saint Laurent had often touted himself as the last truly authentic couturier before his retirement in 2002. Since that time, Stefano Pilati has acted as the company’s Haute Couture designer. Saint Laurent died on June 1, 2008 at the age of 71.
Yves Saint Laurent Commerical Success:
During an era of changing women’s fashions, Saint Laurent stood out as among the boldest of pioneers. His designs are today recognized as having been among the more radical of the ‘androgynizing’ of women’s wear. Pant-suits with masculine shoulder-padding, safari jackets, smoking jackets, and women’s tuxedos have been just a few examples of Saint Laurent’s characteristically daring – and certainly not unsuccessful – style.
Yves Saint Laurent Accessories:
The YSL label offers widespread appeal, garnering many celebrity fans. Actresses such as Chloe Sevigny and Renee Zellweger can frequently be seen sporting YSL designs.
In addition to the evening wear and women's ready-to-wear collection, YSL offers an accessories line which includes handbags, shoes, belts, jewelry, eyewear and leather goods. You can shop for Yves Saint Laurent accessories from the YSL online boutique (Visit Their Site), as well as Gabay's, Neiman Marcus, and other fine department stores and boutiques.
