Yves Henri Donat Dave Mathieu-Saint-Laurent was the first living fashion designer to be honored by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Now that he's dead, the fashion world has indeed lost one great designer. YSL was only 71 years old.Top names in the world of fashion in France together with President Nicolas Sarkozy and his ex-model wife Carla Bruni (in photo), are due to attend the funeral Thursday of one of the country's most legendary designers, Yves Saint Laurent.
Saint Laurent, one of the 20th century's greatest couturiers, credited with revolutionising women's wardrobes, died Sunday aged 71 of a brain tumour.
Also attending will be staff from the YSL empire as well as current designer Stefano Pilati and most of the big names on the Paris fashion scene -- Christian Lacroix, Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Sonia and Nathalie Rykiel, Kenzo Takada, Valentino and Riccardo Tisci.
Notably absent will be rival Karl Lagerfeld, "away on business," according to Chanel, and Pierre Cardin, also not in Paris. From the business sector, the head of the world's leading luxury group LVMH, Bernard Arnault is expected, along with the head of Christian Dior couture, Sidney Toledano.
Watch this video tribute to the legendary fashion designer: