Yves Saint Laurent started his fashion career at the age of 17 when he left home to work for Christian Dior. Four years later on October of 1957 Christian Dior passed away and a 21 year old Yves Saint Laurent was pushed into the role of head designer of the house of Dior which was in financial ruin. It was on his shoulders to save the fashion house and bring it back from the dead. Not surprising YSL took that challenge and succeeded.
YSL’s first collection as head designer of the House of Dior was a success. YSL channeled Dior’s exquisite fabrics, perfectly proportioned and flawless design but with that he brought his own twist to the clothing by making them more youthful, lighter, softer more everyday people friendly by making it easier to wear. Season after season for 3 years you see YSL’s design grow and become bolder, daring sometimes well received sometimes not but he rubbed the Dior’s upper management the wrong way and when he was called to defend his country and join the French Army in 1960 they gladly let him go.
He lasted 20 days in the French army before being institutionalized in a mental hospital after suffering a nervous breakdown.
In 1962 the House of Dior gave YSL his walking papers. Together with his lover Pierre Berge as business partner he started his own fashion house and thus a star was born.
YSL was first to do many things; First to have black models on the runway shows, first to make ready to wear popular; First living designer to be honored at the Met in NYC; First Couture house to launch and many other firsts.
After 46 years of greatness that the house of Yves Saint Laurent has put forward from the genius mind of YSL himself Stefano Pilati the current head of YSL has some big shoes to fill and all eyes will be trained on him. Only time will tell where this label will go. All I know is that there is one less star shining in the night sky.
Reste dans la paix Yves Saint Laurent!
This is a picture of Yves Saint Laurent at his final fashion show in 2002 surrounded by his beautiful models and one of his first muses Cathrine Deneuve.
~ Ciao Bella's! Stay Fabulous!
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