Iconic designer Yves Saint Laurent dies at 71

Yves Saint Laurent died Sunday at age 71 after a long illness.  He had battled mental illness and drug addiction throughout his life.

The fashion giant was one of the most famous designers of the last century, along with Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and Paul Poiret.

Although he retired from haute couture in 2002, after 40 years of designing, YSL continues to dominate, and his clothing is still worn by trend-setting actresses and valued by fashion collectors.

Christian Lacroix has said of Yves Saint Laurent:  "Chanel, Schiaparelli, Balenciaga and Dior all did extraordinary things.  But they worked within a particular style.  Yves Saint Laurent is much more versatile, like a combination of all of them.  I sometimes think he's got the form of Chanel with the opulence of Dior and the wit of Schiaparelli."

YSL was responsible for many modern trends including the safari jacket, trouser suits and tuxedos for women, and he was the first designer to use black models on runways.

To read the inside scoop about YSL and his friendship/rivalry with Karl Lagerfeld, check out "The Beautiful Fall:  Lagerfeld, Saint Laurent and Glorious Excess in the '70s."  Even if you're not a fashion fan, you will find this story of style and substances fascinating.

In a unrelated but eerie incident, a former Saint Laurent model/muse was found dead in the Seine River in Paris on March 3, 2008

Photos: Karen Mulder, Carla Bruni, Yves Saint Laurent, Claudia Schiffer and various models at the Pompidou Center Museum in Jan 2000     WireImage

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