Yves Saint Laurent - also trading as Saint Laurent and YSL - is a French luxury fashion house established in 1962 by designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé. The house's logos were designed in 1963 by A.M. Cassandre. During the 1960s and 1970s, YSL pioneered luxury ready-to-wear with the 1966 launch of Rive Gauche - widely credited as the first luxury RTW concept from a couture house - introduced Le Smoking (the women's tuxedo), and produced a sustained series of art homage collections that applied fine art motifs directly onto garment surfaces.

The house was sold to Sanofi in 1993 and acquired by Kering in 1999. Creative directors have included Tom Ford (2000-2004), Stefano Pilati (2005-2011), Hedi Slimane (2012-2016, who rebranded RTW as "Saint Laurent"), and Anthony Vaccarello (2016-present). Yves Saint Laurent died in 2008. YSL Beauty is separately operated by L'Oréal. The house reported €2.9 billion in revenue in 2024 and operates 282 boutiques across 48 countries.

Art-informed and historically referential. YSL's print identity is built on sustained art world cross-pollination - Mondrian geometric blocks, Matisse-derived florals and figurals, painterly surface graphics - interpreted through successive creative directors. Hedi Slimane shifted toward rock subculture references; Anthony Vaccarello has positioned the house toward overtly sensual luxury. Surface design operates at the level of editorial statement rather than commercial print volume.


Logo of Saint Laurent Paris since 2012


Yves Saint Laurent dress (A/W 1981) inspired by Matisse's La Blouse Roumaine (1969)

The eponymous brand was established in 1962 by designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé. The brand's logos were designed in 1963 by [A. M. Cassandre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolphe_Mouron_Cassandre "Adolphe Mouron Cassandre").[^11] During the 1960s and 1970s, YSL popularised the [beatnik](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatnik "Beatnik") look, safari jackets, tight pants, and thigh-high boots. In 1966, YSL debuted [Le Smoking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Smoking "Le Smoking"), a tuxedo suit for women. In an attempt to democratise fashion, YSL began producing ready-to-wear in 1966 with the launch of Rive Gauche and is considered the first to popularise the concept.[^12] YSL's designs often featured designs influenced from traditional [Chinese clothing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_clothing "Chinese clothing"), as well as themes from [Pop Art](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_art "Pop art"), [Ballets Russes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballets_Russes "Ballets Russes"), and [Picasso](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Picasso "Pablo Picasso"). Saint Laurent is credited with initiating the broad, shoulder-padded style in 1978, which would go on to characterise 1980s fashion.[^13] Saint Laurent's muses included [Loulou de La Falaise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loulou_de_La_Falaise "Loulou de La Falaise"), [Betty Catroux](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Catroux "Betty Catroux"), [Talitha Pol-Getty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talitha_Getty "Talitha Getty"), [Catherine Deneuve](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Deneuve "Catherine Deneuve") and [Laetitia Casta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laetitia_Casta "Laetitia Casta").[^14] [^15]

In 1979, interior designers Jed Johnson "Jed Johnson (designer)") and Judith Hollander designed the Yves Saint Laurent Enterprises offices in New York with architect Michael Hollander.[^16]


YSL dress " Hommage à Piet Mondrian " (A/W 1965) on left, with inspiration Composition in red, blue and white II by Piet Mondrian on right


Models in cocktail dresses (A/W 1965) by Yves Saint Laurent inspired by Piet Mondrian art, 1966

The brand expanded in the 1980s and early 1990s with men's and women's fragrances, building upon its cosmetic line introduced in 1978. However, by 1992, the company's profits were in decline, and its share price had fallen.[^17] In 1993, Yves Saint Laurent was sold to pharmaceuticals company [Sanofi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanofi "Sanofi").[^18]

In 1997, Pierre Bergé appointed [Hedi Slimane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedi_Slimane "Hedi Slimane") as collections and art director and relaunched Rive Gauche Homme.[^19] Slimane departed two years later to head couture menswear at [Dior Homme](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dior_Homme "Dior Homme").[^20]

In 1999, [Kering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kering "Kering") purchased YSL, [Alber Elbaz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alber_Elbaz "Alber Elbaz") was dismissed, and [Tom Ford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Ford "Tom Ford") was hired to design the ready-to-wear collection, while Yves Saint Laurent remained in charge of haute couture.[^21] [^22] Designs by Tom Ford for YSL were awarded Dress of the Year by the [Fashion Museum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fashion_Museum,_Bath "Fashion Museum, Bath") in 2001 and 2004.[^23]

In 2002, the haute couture division was closed.[^24] In 2004, Tom Ford departed the company and [Stefano Pilati](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefano_Pilati "Stefano Pilati"), an Italian-born designer, became creative director.[^25] Yves Saint Laurent died of brain cancer in 2008.[^26] The following few years proved to be tumultuous for the company,[^17] with YSL stores closing in the key U.S. markets of [San Francisco](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco "San Francisco") and [New York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City "New York City") (including the company's [Madison Avenue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_Avenue "Madison Avenue") location, its first-ever store in the United States). In January 2010, its [Chicago](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago "Chicago") boutique on Oak Street "Oak Street (Chicago)") also closed.[^27]

In 2012, [Kering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kering "Kering") announced [Hedi Slimane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedi_Slimane "Hedi Slimane") would return to the brand, replacing [Stefano Pilati](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefano_Pilati "Stefano Pilati") as creative director for YSL. In 2015, Slimane announced he would revive Yves Saint Laurent's [couture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haute_couture "Haute couture") line,[^28] and proceeded to do so.[^29] [^1] After his appointment, Slimane moved the design studio to [Los Angeles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles,_California "Los Angeles, California"), Slimane's home; the couture atelier would remain in France.[^17]

Despite Slimane having previously worked with the house, there was controversy following his appointment, particularly after the house announced it would rebrand its ready-to-wear line as "Saint Laurent" (dropping "Yves" from its name).[^31] "Yves Saint Laurent" and the YSL vertical monogram logo would remain for accessories and its L'Oréal-owned cosmetics line. Slimane drew inspiration for the name change from the ready-to-wear line Rive Gauche 's name when it first launched, " Saint Laurent Rive Gauche ".[^32]

Parisian boutique Colette began selling shirts with the line "Ain't Laurent without Yves." Saint Laurent requested that the store stop selling the shirts (which it did on its online store). In October 2013, Colette received a letter from YSL accusing it of selling counterfeit products that seriously damaged the brand. Following the accusation, Saint Laurent canceled Colette's order for its Spring 2014 Collection, despite Colette stocking the brand since 1998.[^33]

In 2016, Slimane left Saint Laurent [^34] and [Anthony Vaccarello](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Vaccarello "Anthony Vaccarello") was appointed creative director.[^9] When COVID-19 negatively impacted the sales of YSL, Vaccarello came up with the idea to sell the handbags at a discounted price in bulk to wholesalers, without the authentication and 12 digit serial number leather tag, expanding the brand's market and available price points.[^35] In 2017, Vaccarello chose [Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Gainsbourg "Charlotte Gainsbourg"), daughter of [Serge Gainsbourg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serge_Gainsbourg "Serge Gainsbourg") and [Jane Birkin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Birkin "Jane Birkin"), as face of the A/W 2017 campaign.[^36] In July 2020, Rosé "Rosé (singer)"), a Korean-New Zealand singer-songwriter, was named the first-ever global ambassador of Yves Saint Laurent.[^37]

In April 2023, the house launched Saint Laurent Productions, a [production company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Production_company "Production company") for art cinema. Costumes for films made by the company will be designed by Saint Laurent's creative director, Anthony Vaccarello.[^38] The production company's first films are two shorts: [Pedro Almodóvar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Almod%C3%B3var "Pedro Almodóvar") 's [Strange Way of Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Way_of_Life "Strange Way of Life") and [Jean-Luc Godard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Luc_Godard "Jean-Luc Godard") 's posthumous [Trailer Of The Film That Will Never Exist: Phony Wars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailer_of_the_Film_That_Will_Never_Exist:_%22Phony_Wars%22 "Trailer of the Film That Will Never Exist: \"Phony Wars\""). Both premiered at the [2023 Cannes Film Festival](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Cannes_Film_Festival "2023 Cannes Film Festival"). The company's next projects were [David Cronenberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Cronenberg "David Cronenberg") 's film [The Shrouds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shrouds "The Shrouds"),[^39] [^40] [Paolo Sorrentino](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paolo_Sorrentino "Paolo Sorrentino") 's Parthenope "Parthenope (film)"), and [Jacques Audiard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Audiard "Jacques Audiard") 's [Emilia Pérez](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilia_P%C3%A9rez "Emilia Pérez"), for which it received its first [Oscar nomination](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Picture "Academy Award for Best Picture") at the [97th Academy Awards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/97th_Academy_Awards "97th Academy Awards") in addition to the Jury Prize "Jury Prize (Cannes Film Festival)") at the [2024 Cannes Film Festival](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Cannes_Film_Festival "2024 Cannes Film Festival"). In November 2024, Cédric Charbit replaced Francesca Bellettini as CEO of Yves Saint Laurent.[^8]

Yves Saint Laurent Archive Gallery

• !Hommage à Piet Mondrian, A/W 1965

Hommage à Piet Mondrian, A/W 1965 Hommage à [Piet Mondrian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet_Mondrian "Piet Mondrian"), A/W 1965

• !Silk jumpsuit, A/W 1970; wool dress, A/W 1968; silk dress, A/W 1969

Silk jumpsuit, A/W 1970; wool dress, A/W 1968; silk dress, A/W 1969 Silk jumpsuit, A/W 1970; wool dress, A/W 1968; silk dress, A/W 1969

• !Beaded silk evening dress, A/W 1969

Beaded silk evening dress, A/W 1969 Beaded silk evening dress, A/W 1969

• !Evening gown designed for Jane Birkin, 1971

Evening gown designed for Jane Birkin, 1971 Evening gown designed for [Jane Birkin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Birkin "Jane Birkin"), 1971

• !Designed for Anny Duperey in 1974 film Stavisky

Designed for Anny Duperey in 1974 film Stavisky Designed for [Anny Duperey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anny_Duperey "Anny Duperey") in 1974 film [Stavisky](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stavisky "Stavisky")

• !Evening dress, A/W 1975

Evening dress, A/W 1975 Evening dress, A/W 1975

• !Inspired by Henri Matisse: S/S 1982; S/S 1970; A/W 1981

Inspired by Henri Matisse: S/S 1982; S/S 1970; A/W 1981 Inspired by [Henri Matisse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Matisse "Henri Matisse"): S/S 1982; S/S 1970; A/W 1981

• !Black satin pantsuit, ca. 1980

Black satin pantsuit, ca. 1980 Black satin pantsuit, ca. 1980

• !Hommage à Fernand Léger, A/W 1981

Hommage à Fernand Léger, A/W 1981 Hommage à [Fernand Léger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernand_L%C3%A9ger "Fernand Léger"), A/W 1981

• !Hommage à Georges Braque, S/S 1988

Hommage à Georges Braque, S/S 1988 Hommage à [Georges Braque](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Braque "Georges Braque"), S/S 1988

• !Hommage à Vincent van Gogh, S/S 1988

Hommage à Vincent van Gogh, S/S 1988 Hommage à [Vincent van Gogh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh "Vincent van Gogh"), S/S 1988

• !A/W 1992

A/W 1992

• !Dresses inspired by Pierre Bonnard, S/S 2001

Dresses inspired by Pierre Bonnard, S/S 2001 Dresses inspired by [Pierre Bonnard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Bonnard "Pierre Bonnard"), S/S 2001

• !A/W 2004 by Tom Ford, Fashion Museum's Dress of the Year

A/W 2004 by Tom Ford, Fashion Museum's Dress of the Year A/W 2004 by Tom Ford, [Fashion Museum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fashion_Museum,_Bath "Fashion Museum, Bath") 's Dress of the Year

• Founded: 1962, Paris, France
• Parent company: Kering (since 1999)
• CEO: Cédric Charbit (since November 2024)
• Creative director: Anthony Vaccarello (since 2016)
• Revenue: €2.9 billion (2024)
• Retail: 282 boutiques in 48 countries (as of May 2026)
• Cosmetics: YSL Beauty operated by L'Oréal

• Ready-to-wear - womenswear and menswear (branded "Saint Laurent" since 2012)
• Couture (private; haute couture atelier revived 2015)
• Leather accessories and handbags
• Footwear
• Eyewear
• Fragrance (YSL Beauty, L'Oréal-operated)

Yves Saint Laurent operates 282 branded boutiques globally, supplemented by luxury department store distribution. YSL Beauty (fragrances and cosmetics) is separately licensed to L'Oréal. In April 2023, the house launched Saint Laurent Productions - a film production company whose costumes are designed by Anthony Vaccarello - extending the brand's aesthetic practice into cinema.

Tier-one French luxury. YSL competes across RTW, leather goods, footwear, and fragrance at the top end of the global luxury market. Revenue ranged from €2.5 billion (2021) to €3.3 billion (2022) and stood at €2.9 billion in 2024. Boutiques are concentrated in Asia (104), Europe (76), and North America (71).

Yves Saint Laurent holds fashion's most documented record of translating fine art directly into garment surface design. The 1965 Hommage à Piet Mondrian collection - geometric colour-block dresses rendered in wool jersey - is a canonical reference in art-to-fabric translation. Subsequent art homage collections included Henri Matisse (S/S 1970, A/W 1981, S/S 1982), Fernand Léger (A/W 1981), Georges Braque (S/S 1988), and Vincent van Gogh (S/S 1988). Tom Ford's A/W 2004 printed silk evening dress for YSL was named Fashion Museum Dress of the Year.

YSL's broader design vocabulary drew on Chinese textiles, Pop Art, the Ballets Russes, and Picasso - a reference library that maps closely onto print motif and surface pattern history. The Rive Gauche RTW line (1966) extended this aesthetic vocabulary to a wider commercial market.