Yves Saint Laurent: A tribute to the king of fashion

One of the greatest and most innovative fashion designers of the 20th century, Yves Saint Laurent, has died in Paris following a long-standing illness.

Saint Laurent passed away on Sunday evening in the French capital; his death announced shortly afterwards by the Pierre-Berge-Saint Laurent Foundation with exact details of his illness yet to be made clear. It was widely known that Saint Laurent’s health had been suffering since his retirement in 2002, which marked the end of a hugely successful career on the international fashion stage.

Considered by many as one of the world’s most ground-breaking and inspirational fashion designers, Yves Saint Laurent has been attributed with changing the face of fashion with his creativity and pioneering designs that reflected women’s changing roles in society. His womenswear encouraged a new-found confidence and liberation both personally and professionally among females throughout the world, and of particular note are his beautifully-cut trouser suits, brightly coloured ethnic prints and designs inspired by the art world.

At 17, Saint Laurent left home to work for the French designer Christian Dior who, on passing away in 1957, left young Yves, then 22, in charge of rescuing the Dior fashion house from financial ruin. It was a challenge the young designer rose to, and he saw the revival of the Dior fashion empire through with great success.

Shortly afterwards Yves Saint Laurent was conscripted to serve in the French army, where he was subjected to ridicule and abuse by fellow soldiers for his sexuality and which ultimately led to a nervous breakdown. Consequently, Saint Laurent was institutionalised in a French mental hospital to be treated with psychiatric therapy, however was later released and went on to begin his own label, YSL with partner Pierre Bergé.