A Fashion Flashback Celebrating Yves Saint Laurent's 76th Birthday

Yesterday was Yves Saint Laurent's 76th birthday. While the French designer passed away in 2008, time has certainly proven his fashion legacy and artistic vision will always remain. His name is synonymous with glamour, luxury, and impeccable couture tailoring, but to earn his place in the iconic fashion ranks, Yves began his career at the early age of 17. He was head designer at the House of Dior by 21, and by 26, he went on to create his own label, YSL. From there, you need not look further than the silhouettes we still wear today — with his 1966 debut of the Le Smoking tuxedo suit being an impressive example of his definitive influence on style. Above all, Yves was a veritable trailblazer. He became the first couturier ever to design a ready-to-wear line, he was the first designer to ever feature ethnic models in his runway shows, and he became the first living fashion designer to be honored by the Metropolitan Museum of Art with a solo exhibition in 1983. Take a moment to pay homage to one of the greatest designers in fashion history — here's an in-depth look at Yves Saint Laurent's incredible life and work.

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