Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent founded one of the defining French fashion houses of the twentieth century. He entered fashion at seventeen as an assistant to Christian Dior and, after Dior's death, took over the house at just twenty-one. He later started his own label and became one of the most influential designers of the 1960s and 1970s, known for impeccably tailored women's suits and credited with creating the first women's tuxedo, as well as bringing chic ready-to-wear to a wide audience. Fragrance has long been part of the YSL story, beginning with Y for women in 1964, with scents produced in partnership with L'Oreal.

The modern signature runs warm and assured, balancing vanilla and warm spice against woods and amber. Pink pepper and coriander sharpen the opening, bergamot adds brightness, and pear lends a soft, juicy facet. Black Opium is the addictive, coffee-laced icon, La Nuit de L'Homme the smooth and seductive men's classic, while Libre and Tuxedo show the house's contemporary range. Each carries the same sense of polish Saint Laurent brought to the cut of a jacket.