Yves Saint Laurent dies

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 "The difference between day and evening clothes is outdated," he said in 1968.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

The CFDA Awards

The annual Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Awards was held in New York last night, in the New York Public Library. The event, hosted by chairperson Diane von Furstenberg, honours people in the fashion industry. Calvin Klein\'s Francisco Costa, Tom Ford and Dries Van Noten each took home a major award (for Designer of the Year, Menswear Designer and International Award respectively), with Rodarte taking home Womenswear Designer. The main event, however, was le smoking. Yves Saint Laurent\'s tuxedo suit, worn by von Furstenberg, Ashley Olsen and Carolina Herrera in homage to the dear, departed designer.    

See more pictures from the CFDA Awards on handbag.com 

Picture: Victoria Beckham at the CFDA Awards

Sofia Coppola rumoured to shoot for Dior

Ever since Kirsten Dunst showed her toothy grin in The Virgin Suicides, director Sofia Coppola\'s talent has not been questioned. In particular, she seems a dab hand at capturing the youthful freedom as portrayed by the likes of Dunst (in Suicides and Marie Antoinette), Scarlett Johansson (in Lost In Translation) and Kate Moss (in The White Stripes\' I Just Don\'t Know What To Do With Myself video). Now, rumour has it that she\'s been approached to direct a new television advertising campaign for Dior\'s new Miss Dior Cherie fragrance, to be shown in September. Whether Lily Donaldson, who features in the current Miss Dior Cherie print campaign (and whose blonde prettinesss makes her a dead ringer for one of the Suicides characters), remains to be seen. Coppola herself is the face of pal Marc Jacobs\'s eponymous perfume.    

See more pictures from the Met Costume Institute gala on handbag.com 

Picture: Sofia Coppola at the Met Costume Institute gala

Kristin Davis turns designer

Sex And The City should change its name to Fashion And The City, what with the amount of product riding on the film\'s glamorous coat tails. The latest brand to fall for the fab fours\' charms? American bargain-brand Belk, which has recruited Kristin Davis, aka Charlotte York, to design a line for them. The Kristin Davis Collection, available to buy online (and Belk stores in the US) next autumn, will feature everything from handbags and accessories to sportswear and sleepwear. In a statement on the Belk website, McKay Belk says, "Kristin is a great fit for Belk. She grew up shopping in our stores and is in tune with the fashion sensibility of our customer base. We think they\'ll love the modern fashion looks of the Kristin Davis brand. It\'s designed to capture Kristin\'s look and personality and to provide cutting-edge fashion assortments that customers won\'t find in any other store."

See all Sex And The City on handbag.com 

Picture: Kristin Davis 

Sophia Kokosalaki launches denim line

British designer Sophia Kokosalaki, who found success with her Madame Gres-inspired draped dresses, is to launch a capsule high-end denim line, debuting in July in Milan alongside her main collection. Using Japanese black denim (known among aficionados as the best in the world), the eight-piece range will include stretch trousers, jeans, jackets and skirts.

See pictures from Sophia Kokosalaki\'s Autumn/Winter 2008/9 fashion show on handbag.com 

Picture: Sophia Kokosalaki, Spring/Summer 2008

Copy of Copy of Kristin Davis designs fashion line

Sex And The City should change its name to Fashion And The City, what with the amount of product riding on the film\'s glamorous coat tails. The latest brand to fall for the fab fours\' charms? American bargain-brand Belk, which has recruited Kristin Davis, aka Charlotte York, to design a line for them. The Kristin Davis Collection, available to buy online (and Belk stores in the US) next autumn, will feature everything from handbags and accessories to sportswear and sleepwear. In a statement on the Belk website, McKay Belk says, "Kristin is a great fit for Belk. She grew up shopping in our stores and is in tune with the fashion sensibility of our customer base. We think they\'ll love the modern fashion looks of the Kristin Davis brand. It\'s designed to capture Kristin\'s look and personality and to provide cutting-edge fashion assortments that customers won\'t find in any other store."

New jeans emporium opens

Trilogy, the Chelsea denim emporium which offers visitors the chance to find the perfect pair of strides, has opened a second store on London\'s Marylebone High Street. New and exclusive denim brands will sit alongside stalwarts like J Brand, Citizens, and Hudson. As well as offering 15 different brands of jeans, expect to see fashion labels like Theory, American Retro and KL by Karl Lagerfeld thrown into the mix.  Trilogy was founded by Lesley Torson, James Leslie and Mark Cocozza who felt that, where the US has the likes of Scoop, there was a gap in the UK market for a one-stop shop for premium denim. trilogystores.co.uk

Missed last week\'s fashion news? Read it here 

Picture: Anlo jeans, at Trilogy