YSL Meaning – Know More

For high-end fashion and beauty lovers, you might’ve heard of or even love the brand YSL. Alongside Gucci or Hermes, YSL is one of the most popular high-end brands due to its trendiness and aesthetic. Let us know the meaning of YSL.

YSL Meaning

If you have ever wondered what is the meaning of YSL, YSL is an abbreviation for Yves Saint Laurent and the full name, Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint Laurent. The name Yves Saint Laurent came from the designer himself, who passed away on the 1st of June 2008. This article will discuss the history and everything you need to know about the French brand.

History of YSL

YSL was founded in 1961 by Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint Laurent, born on August 1, 1936. Before launching his brand, YSL is a student in fashion design at Oran, Algeria. He received his first-ever momentum when Michel de Brunhoff (the editor in chief of Vogue) showed YSL’s sketches to Christian Dior, which landed YSL a job at Christian Dior, another prominent French brand in the realm of fashion and beauty. At the age of only 17, he landed a job as the assistant director of Dior and eventually was appointed as the creative director of Dior when Christian Dior passed away.

YSL then launched his own brand with “Yves Saint Laurent” in 1961 with co-founder Pierre Bergé. When the brand first launched, it focused on woman’s clothing with a touch of masculinity. When tuxedos and trousers were mainly made for men, YSL was inspired by the sense of power in menswear and wanted to incorporate that into women’s clothes. His first-ever line is “Saint Laurent Rive Gauche,” a women’s ready-to-wear line. His popularity peaked when he released “Le Smoking” in the same year, a line of all-black tuxedos and wide-legged trousers for women. Back then, masculine clothing was definitely not seen as attractive for women, but YSL eventually revolutionized tuxedos and trousers for women.

In addition to his fashion line, YSL also released a beauty line. His mark in the beauty world started with “Y,” perfume for women. He eventually created a makeup line with the birth of “Rouge Pur Lipstick No. 19,” a (of course) bold-colored Fuschia lipstick. To this date, Rouge Pur Lipstick No. 19 is still one of the most popular YSL lipsticks of all time. YSL’s makeup line grew tremendously with its foundations, eyeshadows, and mascaras which is always a best-selling item. Most beauty lovers will have at least a couple of YSL makeup items in their makeup collection.

Facts of YSL

1. YSL went and served in the French army in 1960. He found out that he was fired from Dior after his release. He then sued Dior and received around 60 thousand dollars which he used to build his brand.
2. YSL wasn’t popular in school. He was heavily bullied due to his self-identity and sexuality (he is a homosexual). Because of that, he suffered from anxiety and was constantly sick as a child.
3. YSL’s inspiration to create a masculine yet feminine clothing line was probably from his sexuality. He wanted to diminish the harsh line between women’s and men’s clothing styles.
4. YSL struggled with cocaine and alcohol addiction.
5. He had a relationship with Pierre Bergé, YSL’s co-founder. The relationship lasted up until YSL’s death. 
6. YSL died due to brain cancer in 2008.
7. In 2012, The brand changed its name to “Saint Laurent.” Though, the “YSL” logo is still seen in most of their products.

Top YSL Products

Have you ever wondered what is YSL’s most iconic and must-have fashion or beauty item? Here are some of the top YSL items!

1. YSL Envelop Bag

YSL envelop bags are a classic due to their simple yet elegant design and aesthetic. Most people agree that this bag is timeless and a must-have.

2. YSL Kate Bag

Up to this point, YSL’s Kate Bag is one of the top classic YSL bags of all time. Like the Envelop Bag, YSL’s Kate Bag is perfect for every occasion!

3. YSL Black Opium Eau De Parfum 

“True to the brand,” YSL’s site said. Launched in 2014, the Black Opium Eau De Parfum is one of the best-selling perfumes, especially for women. It gives off powerful and independent woman vibes.

4. YSL Touche Éclat

When you think about an iconic YSL makeup item, this is it. Even after years of its release, YSL’s Touche Éclat highlighting pen is still found in most makeup lovers’ makeup collections.

5. YSL All Hours Liquid Foundation

If you want to splurge for a high-end, long-lasting foundation that doesn’t give you a cakey look, you should definitely try YSL’s all hours liquid foundation. There are plenty of reviews online saying amazing things about this foundation. We all want a good long-lasting, full coverage but does not look heavy kind of foundation.

Conclusion

Meaning of YSL is Yves Saint Laurent, now named Saint Laurent, was and still is one of the leading high-end brands in the world. The brand has a powerful message aiming to empower all the independent women out there with its products, which will stand through time. You’ll never not see the iconic “YSL” logo wherever you go.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is YSL and Louis Vuitton the same?

No. both are known for different things, and YSL is generally more affordable than Louis Vuitton.

2. What is YSL known for?

YSL is known for its fashion pieces like clothing and bags. Though, their makeup line is also well known in the beauty industry.

3. How to pronounce YSL?

Yves Saint Laurent is pronounced as “EVE-SAN-LOU-ROHN.”

4. Is YSL cruelty-free?

Unfortunately, YSL is not cruelty-free.

5. Is YSL still relevant?

Yes. Recently, YSL even chose Rosé from BLACKPINK to become their global ambassador.