Yves Saint Laurent: The Social Revolution of Fashion's Prodigy
Yves Saint Laurent, a key figure in the fashion world, was born on August 1, 1936, in Algeria and became known as the 'enfant prodige.' At the age of eighteen, he relocated to Paris, where he worked alongside Christian Dior and succeeded him as artistic director following Dior's passing in 1957. In 1958, he introduced the A-line dress, which redefined beauty standards. After being drafted into the military in 1960, he returned to Paris in 1962 to establish his own fashion house and unveiled Le Smoking in 1966, transforming women's attire. The Metropolitan Museum held a retrospective in his honor in 1980. He was inspired by numerous artists and built a remarkable art collection. Saint Laurent passed away on June 1, 2008, in Paris, with his ashes scattered in Marrakech.
Key facts
- Yves Saint Laurent was born in Algeria on August 1, 1936.
- He moved to Paris at age 18 and began collaborating with Christian Dior.
- After Dior's death in 1957, Saint Laurent became artistic director of the fashion house.
- In 1958, he created the trapeze or A-line dress.
- In 1960, he was drafted into the military during the Algerian War of Independence and was hospitalized after 20 days.
- In 1962, he won a lawsuit against Dior and opened his own fashion house with Pierre Bergé.
- In 1966, he introduced Le Smoking, a women's suit with jacket and trousers.
- In 1975, he collaborated with Helmut Newton on a Vogue campaign in Paris.
- In 1980, the Metropolitan Museum of New York dedicated a retrospective to him, the first for a living fashion designer.
- He died on June 1, 2008, in Paris; his ashes were scattered in Marrakech.
Entities
Artists
- Yves Saint Laurent
- Pierre Bergé
- Christian Dior
- Twiggy
- Piet Mondrian
- Helmut Newton
- Andy Warhol
- Georges Braque
- Henri Matisse
- Pablo Picasso
- Vincent van Gogh
- Constantin Brancusi
- Francisco Goya
Institutions
- Christian Dior
- Vogue
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Grand Palais
Locations
- Algeria
- Paris
- France
- New York
- United States
- Marrakech
- Morocco