Yves St. Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent (1936–2008) was a French fashion designer and founder of the Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) fashion house. Born in Oran, French Algeria, he moved to Paris as a teenager and rose quickly in couture, becoming head designer at Christian Dior in 1957. In 1961 he established his own label with partner Pierre Bergé. Saint Laurent is widely credited with modernizing women’s wardrobes, notably popularizing the tuxedo-style “Le Smoking” suit and helping bring ready-to-wear fashion to the forefront with his Rive Gauche line. He received major French honors, including the Légion d’honneur.