'A photographic encyclopaedia of one of the 20th century's greatest creators' The Business of Fashion Founded by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge in 1961, shortly after the young couturier left his post at the helm of Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent would soon become one of the most successful and influential haute couture houses in Paris. Introducing Le Smoking, the first tuxedo suit for women, in 1966, Saint Laurent also presented iconic art-inspired creations, from Mondrian dresses to precious Van Gogh embroidery and the famous Ballets Russes collection. This definitive publication opens with a concise history of the house, followed by a brief biographical profile of Yves Saint Laurent, before exploring the collections themselves, organized chronologically. Each collection is introduced by a short text unveiling its influences and highlights, and illustrated with a gallery of carefully curated catwalk images. These showcase hundreds of spectacular clothes, details, accessories, beauty looks and set designs - and, of course, the top fashion models who wore them on the runway. A rich reference section concludes the book.

A spectacular visual journey through 40 years of haute couture from one of the best-known and most trend-setting brands in fashion Founded in 1962 by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Berge, the fashion house Yves Saint Laurent has for more than half a century been synonymous with excellence in modern and iconic style. From Yves Saint Laurent's revolutionary and enduringly popular tuxedo suit for women, le smoking, to iconic art-inspired creations, from Mondrian dresses to precious Van Gogh embroidery and the famous Ballets Russes collection, the house's haute couture line has been hugely influential in changing the way modern women dress. This definitive publication opens with a concise history of the house before exploring the collections themselves, organized chronologically and ending in 2002, the year that Yves Saint Laurent retired from the company he started. Each collection is introduced by a short text elucidating its influences and highlights and is illustrated with carefully curated catwalk images, each season styled as the designer intended and worn by the world's top models. The book showcases hundreds of spectacular clothes, details, accessories, beauty looks, and set designs.