Death of an icon.

PARIS (AFP) — French fashion giant Yves Saint Laurent, one of the great designers of the 20th century who revolutionized women's dress, has died at the age of 71 after a lengthy illness.

Saint Laurent, whose black trouser suits and safari jackets became an icon of women's liberation in the 1960s, died late Sunday of a brain tumour, his former lover and longtime business partner Pierre Berge said.

He had suffered poor mental and physical health for much of his life and had been seriously ill "for a year," Berge told French radio. The funeral will take place Friday in Paris.

The reclusive designer retired from haute couture in 2002 after four decades at the top, designing for French actress Catherine Deneuve and using supermodels such as Jerry Hall and Laetetia Casta to show off his clothes.

French leaders and fashion chiefs hailed Saint Laurent as a fashion revolutionary.

"One of the greatest names of fashion has disappeared, the first to elevate haute couture to the rank of art," said French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

"Yves Saint Laurent infused his label with his creative genius, elegant and refined personality, discreet and distinguished, during a half century of work, in both luxury and ready-to-wear, because he was convinced that beauty was a necessary luxury for all men and all women," Sarkozy said in a statement.

Berge said Saint Laurent "knew perfectly well that he had revolutionised haute couture, the important place he occupied in the second half of the 20th century".

"Yves St Laurent invented everything, revisited everything, transformed everything to the service of a passion, to let woman shine and to free her beauty and mystery," said Francois Pinault, head of the PPR fashion empire in a statement.

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My earliest memories of "fashion" are images of YSL designs featured in Vogue magazine. I fell in love with his work, his artistic way with fabric, color and design. I wanted to wear his clothes but sadly, I'm not rich. Back in 1978, when I was earning my own money the very first perfume I bought for myself was his classic scent, launched in 1971, called Rive Gauche. It's a wonderful fragrance and I've never been without a bottle of it since that first one I purchased.

A few years later I bought his perfume, Opium, launched in 1977. While I so still love the Rive Gauche, this became my absolute favorite perfume. Again, never without a bottle of this stuff. It's the most incredibly spicy yet sexiest perfume I've ever smelled. I wish my whole house could smell like it. I'd just stand around sniffing the air all the time.

While I was in college I religiously bought Vogue magazine every month. At a quick glance I could identify a YSL design, thinking to myself how beautiful they were. I even briefly entertained the idea of being a fashion designer, too. When I attended the Art Institute of Atlanta for the graphic design program I came very close to switching my major to fashion and would sometimes venture down the street from the school to Phipps Plaza to the YSL boutique. I would stand and stare in the window. I don't know why but I could never bring myself to go inside.

Sadly, I've never owned a YSL ladies tuxedo jacket though I've always dreamed of wearing one. I've never carried a YSL purse or worn YSL shoes. My bottles of perfume have been the extent of my ownership of anything bearing that famed YSL name. But that's okay. There's always "some day ....." and I can live with that.

RIP YSL.

Namaste, y'all ...