Yves Saint Laurent dies at 71
- 00:01:09
- ITN
Yves Saint Laurent dies at 71
Legendary French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent has died at the age of 71.Saint Laurent was acknowledged as one of the greatest style leaders of the 20th century and credited with revolutionising the way women dressed.He was widely considered to be one of an elite club of designers including Christian Dior and Coco Chanel who made Paris the fashion capital of the world.From Princess Grace of Monaco to the actress Catherine Deneuve, Saint Laurent's creations adorned many famous women but he was also the first designer to make luxury labels accessible to a wider audience through innovative read-to-wear collections.He exploded on to the world stage at just 21 and built up a clothes, perfumes and accessories empire that resulted in a 1989 stock market flotation - the first by a fashion house.But Saint Laurent, whose death was announced without any details of the cause, was plagued by health problems suffering from severe depression and undergoing treatment for alcohol abuse.Insiders said Saint Laurent, who never read newspapers or listened to the radio, became increasingly cut off from reality and lost touch with all but a tiny group of friends.He was rarely seen in public after his retirement 2002 but was awarded one of France's top honours in 2007.
ITN | June 2, 2008
