The Yves Saint Laurent smoking jacket (2002)

In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent designed the first jacket/tuxedo suit for women, le smoking, and from then on, every YSL runway show saw a different version of his emblematic design, pictured above at a special catwalk show organised to celebrate 40 years of YSL in 2002, the year he retired. 

1966 also marked the opening of the first prêt-à-porter boutique, Rive Gauche in Paris, with the support of the beautiful French actress Catherine Deneuve. Yves Saint Laurent literally brought couture to the masses, and is credited with democratising high fashion. Yves designed Catherine's costumes for her role in Luis Bunuel's classic film Belle de jour, and she remained a faithful friend of his to the end.