By Marcellous L. Jones

June 2, 2008



Paris , France - The final curtain call on the life and career of Yves Saint Laurent went done on Sunday night. According to his long time friend and business partner Pierre Bergé, the legendary grand couturier passed away at his home on Sunday, June 1 at 11:00pm.

The fashion world mourns the death of he whose work dominated much of the second half of the 20 th Century. Considered to be one of the greatest couturiers of all-times, if not the greatest, Saint Laurent broke barriers and modernised fashion for both men and women. Thanks to his artist vision and cultural engagement, he alone made pants for women respectable, made black models popular and launched designer wear for men.

He was born Yves Henri Donat Dave Mathieu-Saint-Laurent on August 1, 1936, in Oran , Algeria . In 1954, he won 1 st prize in the International Wool Secretariat competition for his asymmetrically cut cocktail dress. That same year, he left his home for Paris where he began working as an assistant to Christian Dior. In 1957 Saint Laurent succeeded Dior at the top of the house upon the premature death of the house’s founder. Seemingly pre-destined to become an all-time great, the first gown he created for Christian Dior was immortalized by photographer Richard Avedon and the legendary supermodel, Dovima in the photo series which became known as “Dovima and the Elephants”. (