News of Yves Saint Laurent's death at the age of 71 from a brain haemorrhage last Monday sent shockwaves through the fashion industry, and ripples beyond. Ranked alongside Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and Cristobal Balenciaga as one of the most important fashion designers in history, the Algerian-born Frenchman's career began when he was hired by the house of Dior at the age of 21. He went on to launch his own label three years later, with an iconic logo dreamed up by graphic artist Cassandre in 1962. An intellectual who was particularly fond of Proust, perhaps his most important contribution to fashion was declaring Haute Couture, and inventing the concept of ready-to-wear clothes. "The difference between day and evening clothes is outdated," he said in 1968. "The new fashion freedom permits people...to go to dinner, for instance, as they were in the morning in black jersey, or anything else." Feminists loved him for promoting women's liberation with his "le smoking" tuxedo, his Safari-look jacket, and for showing models with exposed breasts under see-through blouses. His funeral takes place this Thursday, and will be attended by Nicolas Sarkozy, Carla Bruni and Catherine Deneuve. 

See the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective picture gallery on handbag.com 

Picture: Yves Saint Laurent with Nan Kempner in 1978