The 20th century marked a revolutionary shift in fashion with the rise of iconic designers. Today one of the most influential visionaries of the time, Yves Saint Laurent, would have turned 88. In honour of this occasion, we decided to look back at his enduring legacy, things he taught us, and wardrobe pieces women of today should thank him for. 

Before founding his own fashion brand, Saint Laurent worked for Christian Dior and later became the designer’s successor, taking over one of the biggest haute couture houses with 1400 employees at the age of just 21. Not only did he manage to run it, but also helped to reestablish Dior as a leading name in the industry. 

Saint Laurent was not afraid to be different and step away from the mainstream. In the debut collection for his namesake fashion house, the designer introduced dresses with fluid silhouettes, a stark contrast to the structured ones of Dior. He ignored the rules and modernized haute couture, making elegant clothing more wearable, practical, and accessible.

Saint Laurent frequently drew inspiration from men’s wardrobes, while creating garments for women. He wanted to free them from wearing impractical clothes and instead give them comfort and confidence. This approach brought us pea and trench coats, tuxedos, pantsuits, shirtdresses, safari jackets, jumpsuits, and, in general, power dressing, changing the overall fashion landscape.

While artistic collaborations are very common today, 60 years ago it was not the case. 

Saint Laurent was one of the first designers to integrate works of art into his collections, and the art paid back, making him the first couturier alive to get his retrospective at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts.

Saint Laurent was fascinated with different cultures and proudly referred to them in his designs. For instance, the couturier’s love for Morocco led him to incorporate vibrant prints, rich textures, and intricate details into his collections as a gesture of appreciation. 

Before the latter half of the 20th century, access to haute couture was quite limited, yet women wanted to dress elegantly and affordably. 

Saint Laurent gave them such an opportunity by pioneering again — he was the first couturier to start a ready-to-wear line under his name. Rive Gauche wasn’t a lower-priced adaptation of his couture collection, but a completely different one.

These are just a few facets of Saint Laurent’s legacy, still, can you even start to count how many ways it has influenced your life?