Fashion and Yves Saint Laurent in the 1960s

The 1960s was truly a decade of rapid change – socially, politically and culturally. All times of change are reflected in fashion and the 1960s is a perfect example of this. And, certainly, when the Yves Saint Laurent clothing brand was founded in 1962 a new era of clothing was born.

In the early part of the decade, coming out of the conservative 1950s, styles were still simple, but colours brightened and elements of outfits over-emphasized - huge buttons, bold patterns. In 1963 the ties to the restrictive 1950s were being cut with items of clothing like the bikini – quite the change from swimwear to date. The style of Jackie Kennedy was emulated by women around the world – tidy jackets, pillbox hats and big sunglasses.

The mid-1960s saw the full introduction of bold colours and geometrical patterns, like Yves Saint Laurent’s Piet Mondrian inspired dresses. Skirts got higher and the Mods and Rockers started a fashion war – the slim-lined, bellbottom, preppy look versus leather jackets, greased big hair and jeans. In 1966, Laurent released his Le smoking tuxedo suit for women – an experimental, controversial move received with mixed reviews, but ultimately, seen as a sign empowerment for women. In the same year, he pushed the concept of the ready to wear clothing to save women time getting dressed. Reflecting the social and cultural shift in attitudes towards race, Laurent used the first black models in his shows. By the mid-1960s, fashion-lovers had a range of ways to express themselves in ways that had not been possible before.

Laurent’s release of his collection La saharienne in the late 1960s broke the mould once more: A safari collection inspired by his love of Africa. The latter part of the decade saw the beginning of the slide into the hippy, psychedelic movement. Many women dressed in an androgynous style, showing their independence by no longer focusing on looking feminine. Despite this, the Mary Quant mini-skirt continued to be popular with many woman who coupled it with high-necked sweaters and knee-high suede boots. The late 1960s was truly a time of counterculture with the fashionable youth stepping out strides ahead of the generations before them, challenging the status quo in fashion, music and politics.