Yves Saint Laurent dies at 71

[Dream Street Rose]

Legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent dies at 71
By ELAINE GANLEY Associated Press Writer
Article Launched: 06/01/2008 03:40:23 PM PDT


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PARIS (AP)—Legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent, who reworked the rules of fashion by putting women into elegant pantsuits that came to define how modern women dressed, died Sunday evening, a longtime friend and associate said. He was 71.

Pierre Berge, Saint Laurent's business partner for four decades, said he had died at his Paris home following a long illness.

A towering figure of 20th century fashion, Saint Laurent was widely considered the last of a generation that included Christian Dior and Coco Chanel and made Paris the fashion capital of the world, with the Rive Gauche, or Left Bank, as its elegant headquarters.

In the fast-changing world of haute couture, Saint Laurent was hailed as the most influential and enduring designer of his time. From the first YSL tuxedo and his trim pantsuits to see-through blouses, safari jackets and glamorous gowns, Saint Laurent created instant classics that remain stylish decades later.

"I am saddened by the loss of such a legendary talent," designer Tommy Hilfiger said in an e-mailed statement to The Associated Press. "He was a creative genius who changed the world of fashion forever."

"Chanel gave women freedom" and Saint Laurent "gave them power," Berge said on France-Info radio. Saint Laurent was a "true creator," going beyond the aesthetic to make a social statement, Berge said.

When Saint Laurent announced his

retirement in 2002 at age 65 and the closure of the Paris-based haute couture house he had founded 40 years earlier, it was mourned in the fashion world as the end of an era. His ready-to-wear label, Rive Gauche, which was sold to Gucci in 1999, still has boutiques around the world.
"Mr. Saint Laurent revolutionized modern fashion with his understanding of youth, sophistication and relevance. His legacy will always be remembered," said Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa.

[Jesse Joe]

This is also sad DSR. Not a musician but like that good ole "Borderstone" would say, he was still a human being...

[Borderstone]

Originally Posted by Jesse Joe

This is also sad DSR. Not a musician but like that good ole "Borderstone" would say, he was still a human being...

Thanks for quoting me Jess,very true. I would have posted something but I really knew little about Yves. Actually,until I saw a newsclip,I thought for sure it was a woman.

Thanks for posting something Rose.

[Jesse Joe]

I do remember your post when Anna Nicole Smith died Borderstone, and that was exactly what you said about her being human too...Your a class act 'B'.