YVES SAINT LAURENT 1936-2008

I just received the news that designer Yves Saint Laurent passed away today. He was one of the most influential designers in the 20th century.

A towering figure of 20th century fashion, Saint Laurent was widely considered the last of a generation that included Christian Dior and Coco Chanel and made Paris the fashion capital of the world, with the Rive Gauche, or Left Bank, as its elegant headquarters.

In the fast-changing world of haute couture, Saint Laurent was hailed as the most influential and enduring designer of his time. From the first YSL tuxedo and his trim pantsuits to see-through blouses, safari jackets and glamorous gowns, Saint Laurent created instant classics that remain stylish decades later.

A protege of the legendary Christian Dior, Saint Laurent opened his own fashion house in the early 1960s. One of his first creations was the simple navy blue pea coat over white pants, which the designer first showed in 1962.

His "smoking," or tuxedo jacket, of 1966 remade the tux as a high fashion statement for both sexes. It remained the designer's trademark item and was updated yearly until he retired.

He also defined "Beatnik chic" — a black leather jacket and knit turtleneck with high boots — and sleek pantsuits that underlined Saint Laurent's statement on equality of the sexes. He showed that women could wear "men's clothes," which when tailored to the female form became an emblem of elegant femininity. Saint Laurent said he felt "fashion was not only supposed to make women beautiful, but to reassure them, to give them confidence, to allow them to come to terms with themselves."

In addition to these accomplishments Saint Laurent was also one of the first designers to showcase Black models in his fashion collections. Two of his most popular Black models were Mounia and Pat Cleveland.

In addition to fashion YSL made his mark in cosmetics and fragrances, eventually retiring in 2002. He passed away today at the age of 71.

Rest In Peace, you will be missed.