If some designers stand out Yves Saint LaurentIn addition to his great creative talent, there was his frustrating, transgressive and contradictory character, which plunged the couturier into frequent crises which he sometimes resolved by bringing to light a brilliant collection. Born in Oran (Algeria) in 1936, this French national, pantsuit author is a fashion legend in his own right.Women’s Tuxedos, Safari Jackets, ‘Jumpsuits’ (bun)shorts…
Christian Dior was his mentor
From the time he arrived in Paris at the age of 17, he demonstrated his immense talent. A lover of fashion from a very young age, he went to the French capital with a painting on his arm, which he presented Michel de BrunhoffAt that time, the director of the newspaper enjoying french He was amazed by his sketches and did not hesitate to publish them. See you soon Christian Diorwith whom he began working under his command in 1954. He became the French designer’s right-hand man until his death in 1957. He then assumed the position of creative director of the firm.
His first collection, ‘line trapeze’ (‘Trapeze Line’) was a success. Actually, he got one ‘Neiman Marcus Oscar’. In 1960, he had to leave his position at the head of Dior after being called up by the French army, a period in which he suffered his first major depression, which required him to be hospitalized for over a month.
Meanwhile, the Dior House has appointed its Assistant Director, Mark BohanWhich greatly upset the couturier, who decided to sue the company. Yves receives compensation and, encouraged by his partner and friend Pierre Berge, who is always on the ground and whom he met at Christian Dior’s funeral, he builds his own sewing room. Special critics, the learned public and the street public marveled at his daring displays and fell at his feet before the grand cascade of inventions that sprang from his mind.
Creator of ‘Saharana’, sheer blouses and ‘jumpsuits’
In 1962, he presented the first collection under his name and four years later he launched ‘lay smoke’Which has become a classic over time. With this dress and the rest of her creations (‘Saharan’ (1962), Transparent Blouse (1966), ‘Jumpsuit’ (1968)… -, she became a pioneer of more democratic, fast and affordable design. Her Transparent Blouse for a new generation Contributed to the sexual revolution and stunned the audience with his shows.
In 1970, it stood out for its feminine jackets and its dresses and blouses that left the back bare… In those years the French Ministry of Finance admitted that this fashion house collected more than Renault, but the following year its collection ’40’s Style’ It received poor reviews and Yves, sensitive as ever, abandoned fashion for the next two years.
‘King of Fashion’
In 1974, he re-emerged with a collection dedicated to Second Empire And again he heard applause. The newspaper that year the time She called him the ‘king of fashion’ and dedicated a cover to him.
In 1983, In Metropolitan Museum of New YorkAn exhibition dedicated to his creation was inaugurated. Two years later, it is Beijing Museum of Fine Arts which did the same, and, in 1986, the Paris Fashion Museum (located in the Louvre) presented a retrospective of the couturier from 1958. At the end of the 80s, the Saint Laurent company employed more than 10,000 people in 200 countries and had a turnover of about 60,000 million pesetas.
In 1985, he received Legion of Honor From the hands of the President Francois Mitterrand (A decade later he was commissioned as an officer in the same army). She previously won the Neiman Marcus Oscar for Tailoring (Dallas, 1958) and the ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ Oscar (USA, 1966), so her life is marked by awards for her work. However, Yves Saint Laurent suffers from terrible insecurities and fear of failure This makes him a consumer of tranquilizers and sleeping pills.
Who is the current owner of Yves Saint Laurent?
Saint Laurent spent a long time in his impressive palace in Marrakech, where he continued to build his collections. In 1998, he created his last ready-to-wear line. His position is occupied by American designers Albert ElbazJust as he decided. However, the firm was bought out the following year Pinault Group And his plans are thwarted. so, Tom Ford Everything takes over (except haute couture) and Yves shows his anger by attending another of his friend’s shows. John Galliano for Christian DiorWhile Texan Yves Saint Laurent is doing his first Parisian show for the brand.
In January 2002, the designer gave a press conference and announced his definitive retirement from the catwalk. Later this month, she attends haute couture for the last time. And it did so with a very special event: a retrospective of its entire history, in which the best models took part. Claudia Schiffer, Eva Herzigova, Jerry Hall, Katucha, Nieves Alvarez, Naomi Campbell… They all wore some of this creator’s most legendary clothing.
What happened to Yves Saint Laurent?
However, his true departure took place on June 1, 2008. At 11:10 p.m., confirmed by his integral Pierre Bergé, Yves Saint Laurent died in Paris at the age of 71After battling cancer for months. It could be said that with him passed away the last great genius of fashion, a man who revolutionized the way women dress.
Following the departure of Tom Ford as creative director of the house, he took over Stefano Pilati who headed the firm until 2012, the year he stepped up Hedi SlimaneResponsible for YSL’s men’s line while Saint Laurent was still at the helm of his brand. He announced his departure in 2016 and is Belgian Anthony Vaccarellowho worked for prestigious brands such as Fendi or Versus, by Versace, who has been chosen to continue the legacy of the French brand.
