Fashion career profile
Yves Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent was a French couturier born in Oran, then part of French Algeria. After receiving his baccalauréat, he moved to Paris in 1954 and studied at the École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. He joined Christian Dior’s studio in 1955, initially as an assistant, and was named artistic director after Dior’s death in 1957. Saint Laurent’s first Dior collection, the Trapeze line, was presented in January 1958. He left Dior in 1960 and, with Pierre Bergé, founded his own house in 1961; its first collection followed in January 1962. The Saint Laurent Rive Gauche boutique opened in 1966, extending couture-level design into ready-to-wear. He retired from the house in 2002 after a final couture show. His Dior and namesake-house chapters are recorded as distinct roles.
- Role
- Founder, Yves Saint Laurent
- Nationality
- French
- Age at death
- 71
- Career appointments
- 3
- Fashion houses
- 2
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- Dior studio entry: Joined Christian Dior’s studio in 1955The museum records his couture studies and immediate hiring into Dior’s studio. · Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris
- Dior debut: Presented the Trapeze collection in January 1958The museum dates the collection to 30 January 1958 and documents its reception. · Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris
- Ready-to-wear: Saint Laurent Rive Gauche launched in 1966The house history describes the boutique as giving ready-to-wear the creative attention associated with haute couture. · Saint Laurent
- Museum recognition: The Metropolitan Museum of Art retrospective (1983)The house records the exhibition as the first retrospective at the Met for a living designer. · Saint Laurent
- 1955 — Joins Christian Dior’s studioBegins as an assistant after studying at the École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.
- 1957 — Named artistic director of DiorSucceeds Christian Dior after the couturier’s death.
- 1958 — Presents the Trapeze collectionHis first collection for Dior is shown in January.
- 1961 — Founds the Saint Laurent houseEstablishes the house with Pierre Bergé; the first collection is presented in January 1962.
- 1966 — Launches Saint Laurent Rive GaucheOpens a ready-to-wear boutique conceived with the creative attention of haute couture.
- 2002 — Retires from the houseConcludes his couture career with a retrospective show at the Centre Pompidou.
- 1961–2002 — Founder and Creative Director — Saint LaurentHistorical appointment · Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris
- 1957–1960 — Artistic Director — DiorHistorical appointment · Dior
- 1955–1957 — Assistant Designer — DiorHistorical appointment · Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris