Written by Angelica Verhulst

Introducing Saint Laurent

A (really, really) short history:

Everyone knows the beautiful layered letters YSL and the iconic name Saint Laurent but did you know that Yves Saint Laurent started his career at Dior? He began his métier at the young age of 18 by being the assistant of Christian Dior, where he was allowed to decorate the studio and create accessories. Soon his design skills and creativity shone through and more of his clothes made it into the Haute Couture Collection. After the death of Christian Dior he was named to continue the legacy of world renowned designer. He was the head designer for Dior from 1957 until 1960 and during this time he created the timeless silhouette of the trapeze dress.

After a short mandatory time in the army and a lesser collection in 1960, Saint Laurent started his own fashion house Yves Saint Laurent YSL with Pierre Bergé, his long time business partner and lover. They created so many quintessential looks that we’ve decided to list 3 of the most important for your education (and really, it’s our pleasure). They laid the foundation for the brand that became Saint Laurent today.

Nowadays Saint Laurent’s head designer is Anthony Vaccarello, a Belgian Italian designer. He’s known for sexy, short and youthful outfits without every losing the class. He loves to dress women in a sexy way without making it sexual and He aims to give femininity back to women without dictating it. His impeccable tailoring and sometimes androgynous look, give him all he needs to fit this classic brand straight into the 21st century. And honestly? We love it!

3 Iconic must-know looks from Saint Laurent

Some designers create outfits and other create looks. Saint Laurent? They created a legacy of looks. Allow us to introduce three of his greatest designs that changed the high fashion world for the better.

1. The trapeze dress: loose but a flattering fit that works for everyone, the trapeze dress was invented during Yves Saint Laurent’s Dior days and keeps on flattering woman today.

underscript picture: trapeze Mondriaan dress, Yves Saint Laurent (1965) and Keira Knightley in Holly Fulton (2014).

2. Le Smoking. The tailored smoking for women. Do I need to say more?

Underscript: Le Smoking, Yves Saint Laurent (1969), Cara Delvigne, Emporio Armani (2018)

3. The Sheer blouse

When Yves Saint Laurent introduced a sheer dress (nipples included) in his Haute Couture collection, people were shocked. How was this considered high fashion? But combined with beautiful layering and well chosen sheer fabrics, he made a fashion don’t into a fashion do.

Underscript: Sheer dress, Yves Saint Laurent (1969), Beyoncé, Givenchy (2015).

The Saint Laurent Woman

Ladies, you can wear your Saint Laurent always and everywhere, we ain’t stopping you.

You look fabulous and we love you for it.

There is however, a certain vibe to Saint Laurent that is always very Parisian (the name to start with). Not the sweet elegance of a nice pair of fitted pants and the red lips but rather this vibe of dark, sultry Parisian woman strolling out of a nightclub on the Champs Élysées at 5 AM with tousled hair and naked legs. The kind of woman that looks like she threw her outfit together in the morning but with a sophisticated air around her. A woman who loves being a feminine lady without losing her ground.
That is the kind of woman that Saint Laurent has been celebrating for more than 50 years. This is the kind of woman we all deserve to be. And that’s what we call ICONIC.

Feeling inspired? Check out these beauties we have listed for you here.

Author: ANGELICA VERHULST