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Yves Saint Laurent
Yves saint Laurent was born in Oran, Algeria on August 1st,
1936. Saint Laurent is famous as the great adapter since he
responds in his designs to history, art, and literature. In fact,
he incorporates vast ranges of themes in his work, from the Russian
Ballets, to the paintings of Picasso, to the writings of Marcal
Proust, who inspired his taffeta gowns of 1971. One of Saint
Laurent's greatest passions is the theater. He has designed many
stage productions and has also used the theatre as a source of
ideas for his work. Yet, his counter-cultural movements such as the
1960 collection based on the bohemian Left Bank look encountered
much criticism causing Saint Laurent to be replaced as head
designer for Dior. Saint Laurent set world standards in fashion for
his feminization of the basic shapes of the male wardrobe. As
Chanel had done before him, he responded to the subtleties of
tailoring in menswear, trying to reproduce a similar style for
women. His designs contain no rigid shaping or over-elaborate
cutting but depend on a perfection of the line and a masterful
comprehension of printed textiles and the use of costly materials.
Less interested in fashion than in style, , Saint Laurent is a
classicist, designing chic, refined, and sophisticated clothing,
perfectly hand-crafted in the manner of the old couturiers.
Nonetheless, in 1966, he created his Rive Gauche ready-to-wear
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