LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Yves Saint Laurent, the iconic French fashion designer who had retired for haute couture in 2002, died today (June 1). He had been ill for some time.

Saint Laurent is considered to be one of the most influential in French fashion during the 20th century, along side Christian Dior, Coco Chanel and Paul Poiret.

Yves Henri Donat Mathieu Saint Laurent was born in Algeria August 1, 1936, and already had a portfolio of clothing designs by the time he arrived in Paris in 1953 at age 17. Vogue editor Michel de Brunoff publish the sketches and encouraged Christian Dior to hire the young protege. Saint Laurent took over the design house three years later when Dior passed away.

In 1960, Saint Laurent was called to fight in his native Algeria and, though he got a health exemption and returned three weeks later, Dior had already replace the designer. Saint Laurent struck out on his own with his partner Pierre Berge handling the business side.

The YSL logo became famous during the economic boom of the 1960s when Saint Laurent made the Rive Gauche ready-to-wear label and very successful perfumes. He was among the first designers to expand into Asia to the extent that he did, opening up such markets as South Korea and Taiwan.

Saint Laurent was most famous for "Le Smoking," the tuxedo for women, which he introduced in 1966. It was worn by Laurent Bacall, Betty Catroux, and Lou Lou el a Faliase, among others.

Saint Laurent "was the first to elevate haute couture to the rank of art and that gave him global influence,'' French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in a statement today, AFP reported. He "infused his label with his creative genius, elegant and refined personality'' and was "convinced that beauty was a necessary luxury for all men and women.''