The Saint Laurent Revolution: Democratizing Luxury

Yves Saint Laurent revolutionized fashion's relationship with technology and society. His 1966 "Le Smoking" tuxedo for women wasn't just social provocation but technical achievement. Adapting menswear tailoring for female bodies required rethinking construction. The jacket's soft shoulder construction and strategic darting created masculine silhouette while accommodating feminine curves.

Saint Laurent's Rive Gauche ready-to-wear line, launched in 1966, pioneered luxury diffusion. This required industrial innovation to maintain quality at scale. Factories developed new quality control methods ensuring consistency. Computer-controlled cutting improved fabric utilization. The business model—couture creativity at ready-to-wear prices—became fashion's standard approach.

The house pioneered fashion marketing technology. The Opium perfume launch in 1977 used innovative advertising techniques, creating controversy that generated global attention. Fashion shows became multimedia experiences incorporating music, lighting, and set design. Saint Laurent understood fashion as total communication system requiring technological support beyond garments themselves.