Saint Laurent At 80: Stars In His Most Iconic Looks

Legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent would have turned 80 this week. His death in 2008 was a great loss to the fashion industry but his impact is still felt today in many of the trends we know and love.

Today, the tuxedo suit is a key wardrobe staple, but when Yves pioneered the design in the 60s, it was almost unheard of for women to wear trousers as eveningwear.

Although he began in haute couture, Yves was a visionary who understood that the world was changing – he was one of the first designers to set up a ready-to-wear line in his name, although the emphasis was consistently on quality. He was also one of the first European fashion designers to champion black women on the catwalk – Iman was his muse for much of the 80s, and he also featured Naomi Campbell, Sonia Cole, Katoucha Niane and many others in his shows – at a time when this was rare.

His personal life was recently the subject of a movie by Jalil Lespert, focusing on his turbulent relationship over 30 years with his business partner and lover Pierre Berge. According to Pierre, Yves was a manic depressive drug user, who suffered chronic periods of self-doubt and anguish. While designing some of the world’s most iconic fashions, he continued to battle a series of personal demons.

Kate works YSL's iconic 'le smoking' look

At the age of 17 Yves moved to Paris, studying at Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. During his time there, he entered a prestigious fashion competition organised by the International Wool Secretariat, beating Karl Lagerfeld to the top prize. The pair maintained a lifelong rivalry.

Today, the Saint Laurent brand continues to thrive and it remains a favourite of fashion lovers and celebs alike.

Some of the trends we have to thank Yves for include:

Trapeze line dresses

This look was pioneered during his time at Christian Dior, which was a departure from the brand’s more traditional, fitted signature style at the time.

Mondrian shifts

In 1965, inspired by modernist and abstract painter Pierre Mondrian’s bold, colour block designs, Yves created a bold shift dress, fusing the simplicity and starkness of Mondrian’s creations with a fluid, freeform dress design that epitomised the freedom of the 1960s.

Le smoking

One of Yves’ defining moments as a designer came in 1966 when he launched his iconic ‘le smoking’ tuxedo for women. Up until that point, it was frowned upon for women to wear trousers. It captured the mood of the time, as women fought to establish their influence and power against patriarchal views that were still widely held at the time.

Sheer fabrics

Long before #FreeTheNipple, Yves was blazing a trail for women who dare to bare, as he sent models at his 1968 shows down the catwalk braless, wearing sheer organza blouses and dresses. He argued that designs should be less about pleasing the onlooker and more about asserting women’s’ equality. Right on, brother!

Elegance

Ok, so Yves didn’t invent the concept of elegance, but his 1978 collection, which was all about one shouldered gowns and long, figure hugging lines, is still informing a lot of styles we’re seeing today. (This season’s ‘dancing lady emoji dresses’owe a clear debt to Yves’ original work!)

Over the years, many of our favourite style icons have worn Yves’ designs. Here are a few of our favourites…

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