Yves Saint Laurent dies

French couturier Yves Saint Laurent passed away from cancer at the age of 71 yesterday.

Born in Oran, Algeria, in 1936, Yves arrived in Paris at the age of 17 and a year later landed the job of assistant to Christian Dior. When Dior died, Yves replaced him and made six collections for Dior.

In 1958, Yves became the youngest couturier in the world with his own runway show, and in 1962 he created his own couture house. Yves Saint Laurent brought us ladies trouser suits, safari jackets and thigh high boots. He was the first designer to bring denim to haute couture - jeans are the one thing Yves wished he had invented! Yves was greatly influenced by his travels: he was a master of colour and drew inspiration from the markets of Marrakesh to design dresses that were vibrant works of art. The YSL brand continues to influence fashion trends today, with Stefano Pilati now at the helm.

Yves Saint Laurent will be remembered as one of the most influential designers of the century. 

Yves Saint Laurent quotes:
"Nothing is more beautiful than a naked body. The most beautiful garment a woman can wear are the arms of the man she loves. But I am here for those who have not had the good luck to find that happinesss"  (1983) 
"I tried to show that fashion is an art. For that, I followed the counsel of my master Christian Dior and the imperishable lesson of Mademoiselle Chanel. I created for my era and I tried to foresee what tomorrow would be" (1983)
"I have always believed that style is more important than fashion. Very few people have imposed their style, while many create fashion" (1993)
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