14 DAY TRIAL // Legendary French designer Yves Saint-Laurent died yesterday evening in his Paris home, aged 71. The illustrious designer, the last of a triumphing generation that included Christian Dior and Coco Chanel, was regarded as an institution in his own right, a representative of all things classic and fashionable, a champion of style and elegance, a designer hailed by many as the "last true couturier", keen on maintaining the highest standards of classic cut and tailoring in his work.
Saint-Laurent began his prodigious career at 18, when he was hired by renowned designer Christian Dior, who was instantly impressed with his obvious talent. When Dior unexpectedly died three years later, Saint-Laurent was named head of the House of Dior, at the age of 21, and, one year later, he launched the famous by now "trapeze" line, which introduced to the world the revolutionary trapeze dress, which sported narrow shoulders and a flaring, wide lower half and which was an instant hit with women. Along his career, he was responsible for launching a number of innovative trends, the tuxedo suit for women (called "le smoking suit") being among some of his prominent innovations.
Saint-Laurent left Dior four years after the launch of his first solo collection and proceeded to found his own label by starting a chain of ready-to-wear boutiques. He was widely hailed as the last true designer from a prodigal generation that helped turn Paris into the fashion capital of the world and established its headquarters on the "Rive Gauche", or Left Bank. Saint-Laurent was also an adept of making high fashion more widely accessible to the public - and was the first major designer to use black women on the catwalk, launching Naomi Campbell's career in 1990 when he signed her to do her first-ever campaign for his label.
In 2002, the designer - who fought frequent bouts of depression throughout his life - announced his retirement, proclaiming himself disappointed with the fact that today's fashion industry was mainly focused on commercialism rather than on the true values of authentic high fashion. "I have nothing in common with this new world of fashion, which has been reduced to mere window-dressing. Elegance and beauty have been banished", he said at the time. His legendary label, however, continued to promote true style and unwavering elegance, following the principles laid down by its creator, championing elegance, refinement and innovation.