Yves Saint Laurent, purveryor of versatile, egalitarian style, died of brain cancer on June 1, 2008 in Paris. At 17 he was personally hired by French couturier Christian Dior, and at 21 he became the haute couture designer of the House of Dior before striking out with his own line in 1962. Saint Laurent captured the zeitgeist of the late 60s and early 70s, caputuring the ethos of an generation by re-imagining its wardrobe. While the YSL line has produced highly lauded clothing for both men and women, Saint Laurent made history by invigorating women’s style and form, emphasizing progress over pedigree and universal appeal over abstract couture. The following is a sartorial timeline commemorating YSL’s most arresting contributions to the world of fashion.
1957 - The Bubble Dress
Though the gathered hem of the bubble dress has staged a comeback in 
the past two years, the unusual design was Saint Laurent’s first acclaimed brainchild while working under Dior. The flirty, ironic dresses arrived in bold, jewel-toned colors that are now recognized as the line’s hallmark palette.
1958 – The Trapeze Dress
Christian Dior’s untimely death left many questioning the fate of his designer line. 21-year-old Saint Laurent took the reins, debuting the trapeze dress to international acclaim. The bell-shaped outline offered comfort and freedom of movement, and was welcomed as a necessary transition from the matronly, girdled silhouettes of 1950s shirtdresses. The girlish silhouette heralded the sexual innocence of a generation that turned a disinterested eye towards marriage and childbearing and opted for youth and experimentation.
1962 – The Pea Coat Jacket
Long seen as a staple of working class sailors, Saint Laurent introduced the double-breasted pea coat as an outerwear icon during the launch of his own couture house. Paired with equally nautical white pants, this runway nod to blue-collar pieces personified Saint Laurent lifelong obsession with mixing high- and low-culture.
1966 – Le Smoking Tuxedo and the Pantsuit
Until 1966, tuxedos remained confined to the bailiwick of grooms, male celebrities, and maitre d’s. Saint Laurent launched a line of cinched-waist, black and white ensembles that highlighted the infinite sex appeal of androgynous women sporting menswear. Arriving on the cusp of the French academic feminist movement, Saint Laurent trotted out models wearing wide-legged pants, loose jackets, bedecked in Victorian jewels. Couture trousers for women drummed up scandals among establishments where dress codes 
still refused
female diners wearing pants. Ushering in the new age of working women, the pantsuit took strides to legitimize wardrobe options in an increasingly equal rights society without sacrificing style.
1968 – Safari Ensembles
Saint Laurent turned khaki from the esoteric gear of Hemingway short stories to a ubiquitous staple in men and women’s wardrobes. Inspired by the same Orientalist impulses that sent him delving into his North African roots for brocades and animal print, the Algerian mastermind fashioned tailored, utilitarian digs that featured matching capes, thick belts and wide hats. Again Saint Laurent exhibited the androgynous flair that cemented his reputation for pitch-perfect cultural iconography.