The world-famous fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, whose biography represents the path from success to success, was, as they say, a minion of fate. In the field of design, he has reached the heights.
Brilliant provincial
Almost everything is known about the king and trendsetter. "Singer of femininity", the founder of the unisex style - whatever titles he won in his brilliant century, Yves Saint Laurent, whose biography began in 1936 and ended in 2008. The future fashion designer was born in the city of Oran (Algeria, the then French colony), in an aristocratic family . But, most importantly, respectful, comradely relations reigned in her. Yves Saint Laurent was surrounded by love and friendliness from an early age. The biography of the great master testifies that he continued to have immeasurably more friends than his enemies.
Family Breaker
From generation to generation, men held legal positions in the Laurent family, and, of course, the same path awaited little Yves, who more than anything in the world loved to draw in general, and in particular, to invent and embody colors for dolls of two younger sisters. Mother managed to see something in the drawings of her son, strongly supported this passion for him, and after graduating from school in Oran, they left together in 1953 in Paris. Not giving himself time to get acquainted with the charms of metropolitan life, the future couturier enters a school created by the High Fashion Syndicate . He attends the haute couture courses more than willingly, here he learns and gets the opportunity to participate in the competition organized by the International Wool Syndicate.
Favorite Muses
Isn't it amazing luck when a 17-year-old man in the world fashion capital takes first place in a responsible competition? A small black afternoon dress or cocktail dress, which became one of the hallmarks of fashion genius, was created by him precisely then, in 1953.
Yves Saint Laurent, whose biography is full of wonderful coincidences, from this momentous moment becomes known in the fashion world. About him appears a laudatory article in the magazine "Wok", which is accompanied by sketches of a young provincial. For the contest, the novice fashion designer sent three sketches that conquered the jury.
Two years later, Laurent takes part in yet another competition - Woolmark. And here his works are awarded the first prize, but he shares it with another young genius - Karl Lagerfeld. Some researchers of the life and work of Laurent believe that it was from this moment that the friendship and rivalry of the two great world fashion legislators began. Perhaps due to this particular competition, both of them reached Olympic heights in their field.
Beginning of a brilliant career
After this event, Christian Dior himself invites Laurent to his famous “House of Dior”, in which Yves Saint Laurent works during 1955-1957. Biography, personal life, creativity of a young man become interesting to the general public. His successes are beginning to be closely watched by fans and connoisseurs of haute couture. Dior makes him his assistant. Their cooperation was very fruitful, despite the fact that the owner of “House Dior” was more focused on middle-aged women, and Laurent - on youth.
In 1957, Dior suddenly dies, and Laurent at the age of 21 becomes the director of the famous brand. In 1958, his first collection, “Trapeze,” which made a splash in the fashion world, saw the light of day. Short a-line dresses have received many accolades. “Sensual elegance” is how the press dubbed the new style, authored by Yves Saint Laurent. Biography, photos, details of intimate life do not leave the pages of newspapers.
Black line
But there were difficult moments in the life of a trendsetter. He was drafted into the army and sent to Africa. The horror of war, the delicate mental organization of Laurent, who dealt with sophisticated beauty, could not stand it. The psychiatric department of the military hospital treated severe mental disorder with tranquilizers and shock therapy. At the same time, another person was illegally appointed to the post of director of the House of Dior. Laurent begins and wins the lawsuit. He is paid a fine of 700,000 francs. The victory over the offenders did not bring the couturier out of a deep emotional depression.
Good luck again
Pierre Berger came to the rescue, with the help of which in 1961, with the money of the American billionaire Mark Robins, Yves Saint-Laurent was opened, with Yves Saint Laurent becoming its full owner. The biography of the great couturier did not end with suicide, the attempts of which were made repeatedly. From this moment, Yves Saint Laurent begins a new life full of creative success - he tirelessly comes up with new styles that go against the prevailing trends. The press calls him an anarchist from fashion.
He undertakes bold experiments - girls with dark skin appear among the fashion models, Laurent introduces women's pantsuits, safari jackets and transparent dresses into fashion.
New heights and well-deserved recognition
The YSL brand becomes archipopular, and in 1964 he released perfumes called Y. Women's tuxedos, which he introduced into fashion in 1966, become another of his hallmarks. Further awards fell one after another, and the empire of Yves Saint Laurent became huge, capturing more and more new industries.
The collection in camouflage style, released by him at the height of the Vietnam War, brought the author the first Oscar and international recognition. The dandy style introduced by him and the women's perfume “Opium” raise Laurent to an unattainable height - he is the only one of all fashion designers whose work was devoted to a lifetime exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, followed by another Oscar in 1985, this time for successful and many years of work in the fashion world.
His muses were Catherine Deneuve and Maya Plisetskaya. The great designer said goodbye to the fashion world in 2002. On the stage of the Center Pompidou was shown his latest collection. Before he reached the 72nd birthday, in 2008 the great Yves Saint Laurent died, a biography, personal life, a photo of which, like his famous collections, are in the public domain. In the photo below, the designer is captured with two of his muses.
Summing up the rich and successful career of the designer can serve his famous phrase that in this life he regrets only that he did not come up with jeans.