Emma Roberts

Ysl Essay 2* Klug Clothing Construction

2-3-13

Yves Henri Donat Mathieu Saint Laurent, born August 1
st
, 1936 in Oran, Algeria to
Charles and Lucienne Saint Laurent. As a child Yves liked to create paper dolls, leading him to
his passion of designing in his early teens. By the age of 18 Yves had moved to Paris, enrolled in
Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, and had won a fashion design contest, that lead him to Dior.
However, in the early 60s when he was drafted for the French army, he was hazed put in a
comma at a local militarily hospital; and when he awoke he was only to find that he had been
fired from his top-rank position at Dior, after being hailed its savior at age 21, and discharged
from the army after only 20 days of service.
Yves did more to advance fashion in the last half of the century than any other designer
of his time. In 1961 he opened his own fashion house in Paris, where one of France's greatest
painters Aldophe Mouron designs the famous interlocking YSL logo of the Couture house. Yves
was the first designer to feature black models in his couture shows. He was also the first
designer to create a ready-to-wear collection, called Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. Yves
created many of the clothes and accessories that are still in style; like Le smoking, the classic
tuxedo for women, tight pants, thigh-high boots, and the safari jacket for both males and
females. He was the first living designer to have a show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
All throughout the 60s 70s and 90s were Yves hay days, with everything from the
Haute Russian to Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. In January Yves shows a 1940s-inspired
collection. For the French, these silhouettes evoke the Occupation as well as the gay camp
aesthetic of Warhols drag queens and the gay liberation movement. The press is outraged.
Saint Laurent openly dismisses the critics as narrow-minded and reactionary, petty people
Emma Roberts
Ysl Essay 2* Klug Clothing Construction
2-3-13

paralysed by taboos In July 1976 he presented the most expensive couture collection to date,
inspired by theatrical costumes of Serge Diaghilevs and Woman with a Pearl Necklace
Vogue writes that with his small-waisted, big-skirted rich peasants in lam and furs and
passementeried wools he has knocked the town on its ear. . . . The world wont change, but it
will look a little different. - Via vogue.com. Yves Saint Laurent debuts a women's make-up line
is launched with the following tag line: Yves Saint Laurent gives a face to the woman he
dresses. -Via yslbeautyus.com.
Although out his life he was in-and-out of rehab for addiction to cocaine, heroin, hard
liquor, and other heavy substances. The stress of designing two haute couture and two prt--
portercollections every year, just lead him to more drugs and alcohol. At some of his later
shows He wouldnt even be able to walk down the runway had his models had not been
supporting his body.
Although his creative life exploded his romantic life was always just a flicker to the
public eye; but the two are deeply entwined. Yves and his partner, industrialist Pierre Berg
started his haute couture house together. However the couple split romantically in 1976 but
remained business partners for the rest of his career. Although He and Pierre Berg did get a
same sex civil union just a few days before he passed in 2008.
In 1993 Yves sold the house to the Pharmaceutical Company, Elf Sanofi for 600 Million
dollars (although he did not retire until 2002.) The house was later acquired by the Gucci Group
in 2006, just before his death on June 1
st
, 2008.Even though he was a heavy addict all his life he
died of brain cancer. He was given a traditional Catholic funeral, his body was cremated and his
Emma Roberts
Ysl Essay 2* Klug Clothing Construction
2-3-13

ashes scattered in Marrakech, Morocco, in the Majorelle Garden, a residence and botanical
garden that he owned with Berg since 1980 and often visited to find inspiration and refuge.
Via timesofmalta.com. Berg said at the funeral service: But I also know that I will never forget
what I owe you and that one day I will join you under the Moroccan palms (translated from
French). The funeral attendants included Empress Farah Pahlavi, Madame Chirac, and
President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife at the time. Via farahpahlavi.org.