Yves Saint Laurent
Co-founder and designer of the Yves Saint Laurent couture house (1961 to 2002)
Yves Saint Laurent was the French designer who succeeded Christian Dior at 21 and then founded his own couture house with Pierre Bergé in 1961. He brought trousers and the tuxedo into women's wardrobes and, with Rive Gauche, helped move luxury fashion from couture towards ready to wear.
| Role | Co-founder and designer, Yves Saint Laurent |
|---|---|
| Born | 1936, Oran, Algeria |
| Died | 2008 |
| Dior | Head designer from 1957 |
| House founded | 4 December 1961, with Pierre Bergé |
| Final show | 22 January 2002 |
Who is Yves Saint Laurent?
Yves Saint Laurent was born in Oran, Algeria, in 1936 and died in 2008. He is regarded as one of the most important designers of the twentieth century, credited with giving women a modern wardrobe built on trousers, tailored jackets, safari styles and the women's tuxedo. His career bridged the end of the classic haute couture era and the rise of designer ready to wear.
Career
Saint Laurent joined Christian Dior in June 1955. After Dior's death in October 1957 he became head designer of the house at just 21 and presented his first collection in January 1958, introducing softer lines than Dior's structured New Look.
On 4 December 1961 he and Pierre Bergé founded their own fashion house, presenting the first collection on 29 January 1962. Key milestones followed:
- 1966: launch of SAINT LAURENT rive gauche, a ready to wear line sold in its own boutiques
- 1966: introduction of the women's tuxedo, Le Smoking
- 1971 and 1977: launch of the fragrances Rive Gauche and Opium
- 1983: retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
- 22 January 2002: farewell show at the Centre Pompidou in Paris
Influence on the fashion business
Rive Gauche was a turning point for the industry. By offering a designer's vision in ready to wear, sold through dedicated boutiques, Saint Laurent and Bergé anticipated the model that luxury houses would later make their core business. The partnership itself, a designer paired with a business manager, became a widely copied blueprint for running a fashion house.
His fragrances also showed how a couture name could finance and amplify a brand on a global scale. Creatively, his habit of drawing on art, travel and contemporary culture, and of borrowing from menswear, influenced generations of designers.
Why it matters
Saint Laurent's legacy is both cultural and commercial. He challenged gender norms in dress, made the trouser suit acceptable for women in formal settings and helped democratise access to designer fashion. Museums dedicated to his work opened in Paris and Marrakech after his death, and the brand he founded remains one of the most valuable names in luxury today.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Yves Saint Laurent?
Yves Saint Laurent was a French fashion designer, born in Oran in 1936, who became head designer of Dior at 21 in 1957. In 1961 he founded his own house with Pierre Bergé and designed for it until his retirement in 2002.
What is Yves Saint Laurent known for?
He is known for the women's tuxedo Le Smoking (1966), for popularising trousers for women and for the Rive Gauche ready to wear line, which helped shift luxury fashion from couture towards ready to wear.