Shortly after taking the helm of the Dior fashion house, following the death of Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent presented his "Trapèze" collection which broke rank with the fashion norms of the day. Needless to say, it was a hit. February 4, 1958.
From the Mondrian dress and the tuxedo to the safari jacket and thigh boots, master couturier Yves Saint Laurent's most iconic designs will forever be referenced in the history of fashion in France and beyond. On the 10th anniversary of the legendary designer's death, June 1, 2008, in Paris, here's a look at some of the key moments and standout pieces from Yves Saint Laurent's career in fashion.
'gallery right' 'gallery right'
'gallery right' 'gallery right'
Photo 1 of 9 Before the FIFA World Cup Final, July 12, 1998, Yves Saint Laurent staged a huge fashion show at the Stade de France, featuring hundreds of models who formed the YSL logo on the pitch.
Photo 2 of 9 The fashion world headed to Paris' Centre Pompidou to see a retrospective of Yves Saint Laurent's work. Star supermodels, including Claudia Schiffer, walked the runway in iconic pieces created by the master designer. January 22, 2002
Photo 3 of 9 Yves Saint Laurent held a press conference in Paris to announce his retirement from fashion design. January 7, 2002.
Photo 4 of 9 Yves Saint Laurent is photographed surrounded by models after presenting the first haute couture collection from his own fashion house, founded a few months earlier in partnership with Pierre Bergé. January 29, 1962.
Photo 5 of 9 Intrinsic to Yves Saint Laurent's fashion heritage, the women's tuxedo, created in 1966, remains a womenswear essential to this day. February 15, 1967.
Photo 6 of 9 1968 brought another iconic creation: the safari jacket. Yves Saint Laurent once again drew inspiration from menswear wardrobes to reinvent women's fashion, while also playing with military inspirations. February 8, 1969.
Photo 7 of 9 Shortly after taking the helm of the Dior fashion house, following the death of Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent presented his "Trapèze" collection which broke rank with the fashion norms of the day. Needless to say, it was a hit. February 4, 1958.
Photo 8 of 9 The art world and the fashion world collided once again in the Yves Saint Laurent spring/summer 1988 haute couture collection. This time, the designer celebrated the work of Pablo Picasso with a series of dresses. January 27, 1988.
Photo 9 of 9 One of Yves Saint Laurent's most iconic creations is the Mondrian dress, a straight dress with distinctive blocks of color and graphic black lines, inspired by the paintings of Piet Mondrian. Fall/winter 1965-1966 collection. August 16, 1965.