Fashion world bids farewell to Yves Saint Laurent
Jun 05, 2008
FRENCH fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent died on Sunday, June 1 in Paris, at the age of 71. He is hailed as a 20th Century cultural innovator who revolutionised the way women dressed.<br>
FRENCH fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent died on Sunday, June 1 in Paris, at the age of 71. He is hailed as a 20th Century cultural innovator who revolutionised the way women dressed.
The couture creations of the reclusive Saint Laurent won global fine art status and he was widely considered to be one of an elite club of designers who made Paris the fashion capital of the world.
His long-time companion, Pierre Berge, told RTL radio the designer had been diagnosed with a brain tumour last year.
Saint Laurent made his appearance on the world stage at just 21 and built up a clothes, perfumes and accessories empire that resulted in a 1989 stock market flotation — the first by a fashion house.
His creations adorned many famous women, but he was also the first designer to make luxury labels accessible to a wide audience through innovative ready-to-wear collections.
But he also suffered from severe depression and underwent treatment for alcohol abuse and became increasingly withdrawn later in life.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy praised Saint Laurent as a creative genius. “He was convinced that beauty was a luxury that every man and woman needed,†Sarkozy said.
Berge told France Info radio: “Chanel gave women freedom. Yves Saint Laurent gave them power.†“(But) he was someone who was very shy and introverted, who had only very few friends and hid himself from the world.â€
Saint Laurent, who retired in 2002, was credited with changing forever what women wore, making the trouser suit a daytime staple and the tuxedo an elegant option.
He also popularised safari jackets and thigh-high boots, and his transparent blouses made near-nudity acceptable in high society.
“He completely revamped a woman’s wardrobe,†luxury underwear designer Chantal Thomass told French radio. “His fashion was full of colour and inspired by art.â€
The eldest child of a wealthy French industrialist, Saint Laurent was born and grew up in the then French colony of Algeria. At 17, he entered a Paris fashion school and his sketch for a cocktail dress won first prize in an annual contest.
Introduced to Christian Dior, Saint Laurent was hired on the spot by the creator of the “New Look†and became his chief assistant. On Dior’s death in 1957, Saint Laurent became chief designer and swiftly outshone his mentor.
After his first collection introduced the widely copied “trapeze†silhouette with narrow shoulders and flared skirt, the shy 21-year-old was pushed out on to the Dior building balcony and crowds hailed him like royalty.
Saint Laurent directed Dior for three years, until he drafted for military service during the Algerian war.
For a sensitive person whose homosexuality had made his school years a torture, army life was an ordeal. He had a nervous breakdown and spent nearly three months in hospital.
With Berge’s financial backing, Saint Laurent presented his first collection under his own name in 1962. The “YSL†empire grew steadily and Saint Laurent showed an instinctive ability to sense what the mood on the streets was and turn it into high fashion.
But by the late 1980s his health problems were an issue. Insiders said Saint Laurent, who never read newspapers or listened to the radio, became increasingly cut off from reality and lost touch with all, but a tiny group of friends.
“Fame has destroyed him,†Berge once said.
Despite the personal demons, his business empire thrived. The 1989 flotation was a runaway success. But when the Gulf War erupted and the world economy slumped in the early 1990s, Berge and Saint Laurent sank into debt.
In 1992, YSL was absorbed by cosmetics and drugs company Sanofi. In 1999, it was bought by the Gucci group, which is controlled by French luxury giant PPR.
Facts about Saint Laurent
Born on August 1, 1936 in Oran, Algeria
Moved to Paris when he was 17 and entered the world of fashion
Met Christian Dior in 1954 and became his assistant
Named chief stylist for the Dior fashion house in 1957
Called up for French military service in 1960, he had a nervous breakdown and was replaced at Dior
Set up his own fashion house in 1962
The business was floated on the Paris bourse in 1989 — a first for a fashion house
Suffered from bouts of severe depression and was rushed to hospital in 1990, suffering from nervous fatigue
In 1992, the heavily-indebted YSL was bought by cosmetics and drugs company Sanofi. French luxury house PPR took control in 1999
He presented his last haute couture show in January 2001
He retired in 2002
In October 2006, he fell in a Paris street and was filmed lying motionless until emergency services arrived. Aides denied he was seriously ill
Reuters
The couture creations of the reclusive Saint Laurent won global fine art status and he was widely considered to be one of an elite club of designers who made Paris the fashion capital of the world.
His long-time companion, Pierre Berge, told RTL radio the designer had been diagnosed with a brain tumour last year.
Saint Laurent made his appearance on the world stage at just 21 and built up a clothes, perfumes and accessories empire that resulted in a 1989 stock market flotation — the first by a fashion house.
His creations adorned many famous women, but he was also the first designer to make luxury labels accessible to a wide audience through innovative ready-to-wear collections.
But he also suffered from severe depression and underwent treatment for alcohol abuse and became increasingly withdrawn later in life.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy praised Saint Laurent as a creative genius. “He was convinced that beauty was a luxury that every man and woman needed,†Sarkozy said.
Berge told France Info radio: “Chanel gave women freedom. Yves Saint Laurent gave them power.†“(But) he was someone who was very shy and introverted, who had only very few friends and hid himself from the world.â€
Saint Laurent, who retired in 2002, was credited with changing forever what women wore, making the trouser suit a daytime staple and the tuxedo an elegant option.
He also popularised safari jackets and thigh-high boots, and his transparent blouses made near-nudity acceptable in high society.
“He completely revamped a woman’s wardrobe,†luxury underwear designer Chantal Thomass told French radio. “His fashion was full of colour and inspired by art.â€
The eldest child of a wealthy French industrialist, Saint Laurent was born and grew up in the then French colony of Algeria. At 17, he entered a Paris fashion school and his sketch for a cocktail dress won first prize in an annual contest.
Introduced to Christian Dior, Saint Laurent was hired on the spot by the creator of the “New Look†and became his chief assistant. On Dior’s death in 1957, Saint Laurent became chief designer and swiftly outshone his mentor.
After his first collection introduced the widely copied “trapeze†silhouette with narrow shoulders and flared skirt, the shy 21-year-old was pushed out on to the Dior building balcony and crowds hailed him like royalty.
Saint Laurent directed Dior for three years, until he drafted for military service during the Algerian war.
For a sensitive person whose homosexuality had made his school years a torture, army life was an ordeal. He had a nervous breakdown and spent nearly three months in hospital.
With Berge’s financial backing, Saint Laurent presented his first collection under his own name in 1962. The “YSL†empire grew steadily and Saint Laurent showed an instinctive ability to sense what the mood on the streets was and turn it into high fashion.
But by the late 1980s his health problems were an issue. Insiders said Saint Laurent, who never read newspapers or listened to the radio, became increasingly cut off from reality and lost touch with all, but a tiny group of friends.
“Fame has destroyed him,†Berge once said.
Despite the personal demons, his business empire thrived. The 1989 flotation was a runaway success. But when the Gulf War erupted and the world economy slumped in the early 1990s, Berge and Saint Laurent sank into debt.
In 1992, YSL was absorbed by cosmetics and drugs company Sanofi. In 1999, it was bought by the Gucci group, which is controlled by French luxury giant PPR.
Facts about Saint Laurent
Born on August 1, 1936 in Oran, Algeria
Moved to Paris when he was 17 and entered the world of fashion
Met Christian Dior in 1954 and became his assistant
Named chief stylist for the Dior fashion house in 1957
Called up for French military service in 1960, he had a nervous breakdown and was replaced at Dior
Set up his own fashion house in 1962
The business was floated on the Paris bourse in 1989 — a first for a fashion house
Suffered from bouts of severe depression and was rushed to hospital in 1990, suffering from nervous fatigue
In 1992, the heavily-indebted YSL was bought by cosmetics and drugs company Sanofi. French luxury house PPR took control in 1999
He presented his last haute couture show in January 2001
He retired in 2002
In October 2006, he fell in a Paris street and was filmed lying motionless until emergency services arrived. Aides denied he was seriously ill
Reuters