Photo: Reginald gray / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Yves Saint Laurent is one of those designers who didn't just follow fashion — he rewrote its rules entirely. Born in Oran, Algeria in 1936, he was barely 21 when he took over at Dior after Christian Dior's death, which tells you everything about the scale of his talent. What really gets me is Le Smoking — putting a woman in a sharp tuxedo suit in 1966 was genuinely radical, not a gimmick, and it holds up as one of the most powerful silhouettes in the history of clothing. He borrowed from menswear, from art, from the streets, and turned it all into something luxurious and effortlessly wearable. The CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999 and the Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour in 2007 barely scratch the surface of what he meant to the industry. He passed in 2008, and the fashion world has been chasing his ghost ever since.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Yves Saint Laurent
- Name (Japanese)
- イヴ・サン＝ローラン
- Reading
- いゔ・さん＝ろーらん
- Born
- August 1, 1936 – June 1, 2008
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Rat
- Origin
- Oran, Algeria
- Occupation
- grand couturier / costume designer / businessperson / art collector / personal stylist
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1999 CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2007 Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Le Smoking | — | |
| Notable work | Yves Saint Laurent | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Yves Saint Laurent born?
August 1, 1936 – June 1, 2008.
Where is Yves Saint Laurent from?
Yves Saint Laurent is from Oran, Algeria.
What does Yves Saint Laurent do?
Yves Saint Laurent works as grand couturier, costume designer, businessperson, art collector, personal stylist.
What is Yves Saint Laurent known for?
Notable works include Le Smoking, Yves Saint Laurent.
Costume designer — see all → · More people from Algeria →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.