YSL passes away at 71

French fashion king Yves Saint Laurent has died at the age of 71, hailed as a 20th century cultural icon who revolutionised the way women dressed.

The reclusive Saint Laurent’s couture creations won global fine art status and he was widely considered to be one of an elite club of designers including Christian Dior and Coco Chanel who made Paris the fashion capital of the world.

From Princess Grace of Monaco to the actress Catherine Deneuve, Saint Laurent’s creations adorned many famous women but he was also the first designer to make luxury labels accessible to a wider audience through innovative read-to-wear collections.

He exploded on to the world stage at just 21 and built up a clothes, perfumes and accessories empire that resulted in a 1989 stock market flotation – the first by a fashion house.

Worth reading: The YSL effect @ The London Paper