Yves Saint Laurent: What is his legacy to fashion?

Yves Saint Laurent is retiring after five groundbreaking decades in the fashion industry.

The Algerian-born designer became famous with mould-breaking garments such as the trouser suit and the female dinner jacket.

But his manager and partner, Pierre Berg, said he was a "man of exceptional intelligence practising the trade of an imbecile".

Saint Laurent is an icon in France, where his portrait donned the last five, ten and fifty franc pieces minted before the introduction of the euro.

What are your memories of Yves Saint Laurent's career? What is his legacy?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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Your reaction

He is the man who said "the best clothes a woman can wear are the arms of the man who loves her" Amazing but true!!
Helen, France

He allowed designer clothes to feel accessible to everyone. I still carry an ageing YSL lipstick in my bag for a quick dose of glamour!
Lisa, England

He was the man who knew what women wanted.

Benn, Australia

His ready to wear collections is what he was about. He simply sold his name for his range of everyday shirts. They weren't designer at all, and if you Essex boys were foolish enough to buy one thinking you had designer style, then you were the one that wasn't so smart! If you wanted a shirt you would go to Jermyn Street.

However if you were a woman and wanted to stun, then he was the man who knew what women wanted. Quite amazing really, and the design of the trouser suit was what he brought to the party. Christian Dior should be praised for giving Yves his first move, and aiding the growth of a talent in fashion design.
Benn, Australia

He is undoubtedly one of the greatest designers of the past century, but as many have said he has failed to consistently update himself. I'm sure Tom Ford and the Gucci Group will successfully revive the YSL ready-to-wear business, and Mr. Saint Laurent's retirement might actually have a positive effect on his own label's renewal process.
Ian, Canada

Yves Saint Laurent had a way of making even the most plain woman look elegant, sophisticated and beautiful in his garments. He clearly adores women and it showed in his clothes. That is what made him so special.
Tabitha Munzara, Zimbabwe

He made the tie a work of art

Robert del Valle, USA

He made the tie a work of art, which in itself was no small feat especially in this century of mass production.
Robert del Valle, USA

Yves Saint Laurent has done as much for fashion as has any other label in an industry that survives only through the dictatorial marketing of vanity.
Kate, London, UK

I thought YSL stood for You Sad Lemon. YSL shirts are almost a uniform for New Lad culture. And why not? At least the bright colours make it easy to avoid them.
Alan Quinn, UK

His legacy to fashion is the price - charging $100 for a $10 item.
Ron, US

Clearly a designer who loved to make women look beautiful. We could use a few more of those today.
Tom Logan, UK

Does it really matter what clothes you wear during your lifetime? Does that define you? He didn't leave any legacy for me. I'm surprised he is getting all this attention at all.
Eleissia, USA

Essex boys in cheap designer shirts

Simon, England

He gave us Essex boys in cheap designer shirts. But hey, everyone's gotta make a living!
Simon, England

In the late 1960s I was an au pair in France. Madame had just purchased a beautiful YSL trouser suit and was wearing it for the first time to a business trip. We were in the car headed for the airport when she needed to "fait pee-pee". In the middle of the countryside there were no WC's, so the car was pulled to the side of the road and Madame and I walked off into the woods for her to answer the call of nature. I was there to hold the beautiful trousers well off the ground of course!
Linda Thomas, USA

What's so significant about a fashion designer? It's hard to imagine a creature of less use to the planet. In short, who cares about his legacy?
James Munro, Scotland

Every Christmas my mother buys me a jumper by YSL. I love them. They are quality clothes and I shall miss the exciting range and wealth of exceptional fabrics Yves used to create one of the best fashion ranges ever. Long live YSL!
Zeb, England

His legacy? Legacy and fashion are two words that don't live together.
Nigel, UK

Feeding other people's egos thinking they look like the models on the catwalk and not mutton dressed as lamb that they are.
NM, Ireland

YSL is a master; changing the course of fashion through innovation, giving women what they want and turning out faultless collections over 40 years is just incredible.
WGS, UK

We will never forget the glory days of their ready to wear range. 1 in 3 men wearing an ill fitting, lurid shirt with a small YSL logo. Still that wasn't him and the ladies trouser suit was a rather good idea.
Nat, UK

He helped to bring the world's people together

Rich Stelnick, USA

At 18 I wore YSL's men's clothing. Now, at 48, I wear Versace. Yves Saint Laurent's legacy is the fact that he helped to bring the world's people together by making it fit and proper for fashion designers to offer their lines to both men and women
Rich Stelnick, USA

He dressed Catherine Deneuve exceptionally in "Belle de Jour."
Aliza G., USA

Fashion designers are exponents of the art of planned obsolescence. Yves Saint Laurent's legacy and success may, therefore, be measured by the number of wardrobes full of expensive clothes that nobody wears or wants. I know this, because I've been there!
Chris B, England

Very chic! Secure style and delighting elegance compared to many "fashionists". I like clothes with more classical era...like Chanel, too
Ellen E, Germany / France

He gave the fashion industry its first ever three letter acronym: YSL.
David Hazel, UK

That awful YSL logo
Clifford Hayes, UK

I was continuously inspired by YSL's interest in the not-so-vast African market.

Rayne, Zimbabwe

As a young model and fashion student in Africa, I was continuously inspired by YSL's interest in the not-so-vast African market. That spirit of exploration could be single-handedly responsible for the success he experienced in the industry.
Rayne, Zimbabwe