- Want more images or videos?Request additional images or videos from the seller
Yves Saint Laurent Knit & Tulle Mini Dress, Fall-Winter 1988

About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Despite one repaired moth hole (barely visible), the dress looks hardly worn. Excellent condition.
- Seller Location:Geneva, CH
- Reference Number:
Yves Saint Laurent
French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent pioneered “cross-design” in fashion, taking inspiration from street trends to modernize haute couture.
Saint Laurent was the first to launch a ready-to-wear label, YSL Rive Gauche Prêt-à-Porter. He was the first couturier to open boutiques for both men and women. Using traditional menswear fabrics and designs for women, Saint Laurent also literally cross-dressed, giving men and women alike chic pant suits, elegant tuxedo jackets and urban safari gear. By blurring gender-specific design, he empowered individual style while creating a scissor-sharp fashion aesthetic of sensual ease and beauty. Many of his designs are today considered timeless classics. Saint Laurent also consistently used Black models, like Mounia, Iman and Naomi Campbell, and he drew endless inspiration from different ethnicities and cultures, in no small part because of his Algerian roots.
Born to French parents in Oran, Algeria, in 1936, Saint Laurent went to Paris at age 17 to study fashion at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. Just two years later, in 1955, his remarkable sketches were shown to Christian Dior, then the world’s reigning couturier, who hired him immediately.
Surprisingly soon thereafter, Dior publicly chose Saint Laurent as his successor, which sadly proved prescient when the fashion legend died unexpectedly, in 1957. A mere slip of a youth, the 21-year-old Saint Laurent was nevertheless up to the challenge. He shook the traditional couture clientele to its core with youthful silhouettes and styles like the A-line trapeze dress that hung with seeming effortlessness from the shoulders, the antithesis of the pinched waists and molded skirts that had been all the rage after the deprivations of World War II.
After a mandated spell in the torturous French military, Saint Laurent suffered a nervous breakdown and was dismissed by Dior in 1962. Out of the ashes rose the Age of Yves. With Pierre Bergé, his then-lover who became his lifelong business partner and friend, the designer founded Yves Saint Laurent YSL to encompass prêt-à-porter, or ready-to-wear. In 1966, they opened the first YSL Rive Gauche women’s boutique in Paris, followed soon thereafter by YSL Rive Gauche for men. Saint Laurent had given birth to a global brand.
His revolutionary Mondrian mini dress from 1965 is a core element of his fashion biography. It is a prime example of how Saint Laurent, an avid art lover and collector, looked to painters, from Goya to Picasso, Ingres to Matisse, for inspiration.
With its pure lines and hues, Mondrian’s ground-breaking 1935 color-block painting Composition C transmutes beautifully into a dress that is highly valued by collectors of contemporary fashion and widely copied commercially to this day. The design is the epitome of Saint Laurent’s aesthetic, requiring a meticulous hand piecing of each color block so that, despite the body’s curves, the visual plane is as flat as a canvas when the garment is worn. Mondrian’s purity met its match in Saint Laurent.
“I am no longer concerned with sensation and innovation, but with the perfection of my style,” Saint Laurent said four years before retiring, in 2002. After a long period of ill health, he died at his home in Paris on June 1, 2008.
Browse an extraordinary collection of vintage Yves Saint Laurent evening dresses, shirts, handbags and other clothing and accessories today on 1stDibs.
Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
Visionary French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent was the first to launch a ready-to-wear label, YSL Rive Gauche Prêt-à-Porter. The inaugural Rive Gauche boutique — a modern shop in Paris’s bustling, bohemian Left Bank district — offered stylish garments and accessories that were intended to be affordable for a younger generation of fashion enthusiasts. The store featured Mies van der Rohe chairs and played host to actor Catherine Deneuve during its grand opening.
Saint Laurent pioneered “cross-design” in fashion, taking inspiration from street trends to modernize haute couture. He was the first couturier to open boutiques for both men and women. Using traditional menswear fabrics and designs for women, he also literally cross-dressed, giving men and women alike chic pant suits, elegant tuxedo jackets and urban safari gear. By blurring gender-specific design, he empowered individual style while creating a scissor-sharp fashion aesthetic of sensual ease and beauty. Many of his designs are today considered timeless classics. Saint Laurent also consistently used Black models, like Mounia, Iman and Naomi Campbell, and he drew endless inspiration from different ethnicities and cultures, in no small part because of his Algerian roots.
Born to French parents in Oran, Algeria, in 1936, Saint Laurent went to Paris at age 17 to study fashion at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. Just two years later, in 1955, his remarkable sketches were shown to Christian Dior, then the world’s reigning couturier, who hired him immediately.
Surprisingly soon thereafter, Dior publicly chose Saint Laurent as his successor, which sadly proved prescient when the fashion legend died unexpectedly, in 1957. A mere slip of a youth, the 21-year-old Saint Laurent was nevertheless up to the challenge. He shook the traditional couture clientele to its core with youthful silhouettes and styles like the A-line trapeze dress that hung with seeming effortlessness from the shoulders, the antithesis of the pinched waists and molded skirts that had been all the rage after the deprivations of World War II.
After a mandated spell in the torturous French military, Saint Laurent suffered a nervous breakdown and was dismissed by Dior in 1962. Out of the ashes rose the Age of Yves. With Pierre Bergé, his then-lover who became his lifelong business partner and friend, the designer founded Yves Saint Laurent YSL to encompass prêt-à-porter, or ready-to-wear. In 1966, they opened the first YSL Rive Gauche women’s boutique in Paris — Rive Gauche is French for “left bank” — followed soon thereafter by YSL Rive Gauche for men. Ready-to-wear materialized during a period of dynamic transformation and experimentation and came to dominate the Paris fashion scene. Saint Laurent had given birth to a global brand.
His revolutionary Mondrian mini dress from 1965 is a core element of his fashion biography. It is a prime example of how Saint Laurent, an avid art lover and collector, looked to painters, from Goya to Picasso, Ingres to Matisse, for inspiration.
With its pure lines and hues, Mondrian’s ground-breaking 1935 color-block painting Composition C transmutes beautifully into a dress that is highly valued by collectors of contemporary fashion and widely copied commercially to this day. The design is the epitome of Saint Laurent’s aesthetic, requiring a meticulous hand piecing of each color block so that, despite the body’s curves, the visual plane is as flat as a canvas when the garment is worn. Mondrian’s purity met its match in Saint Laurent.
“I am no longer concerned with sensation and innovation, but with the perfection of my style,” Saint Laurent said four years before retiring, in 2002. After a long period of ill health, he died at his home in Paris on June 1, 2008.
The vintage YSL Rive Gauche clothing for sale on 1stDibs includes evening dresses and gowns, jackets, shoes, handbags and other items.
Shipping & Returns
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Geneva, Switzerland
- Return Policy
A return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- Yves Saint Laurent Smocked Floral-Print Silk-Chiffon Maxi DressBy Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Yves Saint LaurentLocated in Geneva, CHCut from airy sheer silk chiffon, this rare early 70s Saint Laurent Rive Gauche maxi dress is shirred from under the chest to the hips for a flattering - though comfortable - closer ...Category
1970s French Maxi Dresses
- Yves Saint Laurent "Hommage A Matisse" Runway Dress, Spring-Summer 1983By Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in Geneva, CHAs a tribute to the painters he admired, YSL celebrated once again "Le Peintre de la Couleur", Henri Matisse, with his 1982 Spring-Summer haute couture collection. Our dress is from ...Category
1980s French Cocktail Dresses
- Yves Saint Laurent Runway Asymmetric Ruffled Bow Evening Dress, SS 1990By Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in Geneva, CHCelebrate the magic of getting dressed-up for a special occasion with this standout SS1990 runway evening piece by YSL ! Cut from black silk gazar to hug the curves, this dress featu...Category
1990s French Evening Dresses
- Yves Saint Laurent Fringed Peasant Dress, Fall-Winter 1977By Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in Geneva, CHNowadays a classic iconic Yves Saint Laurent design who explored the romantic side of the Russian and the Eastern European folklore, this feminine 70's piece will be perfect for your...Category
1970s French Casual Dresses
- Yves Saint Laurent Silk Summer DressBy Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in Geneva, CHSummer mood with this vintage YSL flower print dress ! This wrap-style piece is crafted in a refined silk and features a flattering V-neckline. Fully lined, the dress closes with a c...Category
1980s French Cocktail Dresses
- Yves Saint Laurent Linen Day DressBy Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in Geneva, CHBold and vibrant prints are a mainstay in Yves Saint Laurent designs. Constructed in linen, this 80's YSL dress has a feminine fit-silhouette. It features an elegant round collar, a ...Category
1980s French Casual Dresses
- Vintage Yves Saint Laurent ' Rive Gauche ' Black Silk Russian Collection DressBy Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in San Diego, CABeautiful and flattering vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT 'Rive Gauche’ black silk ruffle dress! Luxurious soft 'liquid' silk that looks incredible on! Features a silk velvet trim along th...Category
Late 20th Century French Cocktail Dresses
- Vintage Yves Saint Laurent 1990s Black Metallic Tinsel Off - Shoulder 90s DressBy Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in San Diego, CAGorgeous vintage early 90s YVES SAINT LAURENT YSL Rive Gauche off the shoulder metallic tinsel sweater dress ! At first glance, this looks like a sequined dress. However, it is reall...Category
1990s French Cocktail Dresses
- UNWORN Chanel Ivory Camellia Jacquard Pearl Jacket Blouse Skirt Suit Ensemble 34By ChanelLocated in Switzerland, CHBeautiful Chanel Signature Ensemble Consisting of three pieces - Lace Blouse, Skirt and Jacket Can be worn as a complete outfit or each piece by itself The skirt and jacket are made ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Skirt Suits
$3,999 Sale Price20% Off - Christian Dior by John Galliano black lace and silk evening maxi dress, ss 2001By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian DiorLocated in London, GB▪ Christian Dior black lace evening maxi dress ▪ Designed by John Galliano ▪ Four silk ribbon shoulder straps cross at the front and back ▪ Silk chiffon underdress ▪ Leg slit ▪ F...Category
Early 2000s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld checked taupe bouclé wool dress and jacket set, fw 1995By Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, ChanelLocated in London, GB▪ Chanel taupe and pink checked bouclé wool dress and jacket set ▪ Designed by Karl Lagerfeld ▪ Mid-length sheath dress with short-sleeves and v-neck ▪ Back vent with gold 'CC' butt...Category
1990s French Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
- 1990's YVES SAINT LAURENT rive gauche navy strapless safari dressBy Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Yves Saint LaurentLocated in San Fransisco, CANavy blue, strapless, cotton, safari dress designed by Yves Saint Laurent dating to the early 1990's. French size 38. Best fits a US 2 or small-busted 4. Dress can be adjusted with t...Category
1990s French Day Dresses
- 1980's YVES SAINT LAURENT black denim strapless dress with shell buttonsBy Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Yves Saint LaurentLocated in San Fransisco, CAStrapless, black denim dress with oversized shell buttons and horizontal pockets at hips from Yves Saint Laurent dating to the 1980's. No size is indicated however this best fits a U...Category
Late 20th Century French Day Dresses
- 1990's YVES SAINT LAURENT rive gauche black wool dress with lace up backBy Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in San Fransisco, CAJet-black, wool dress with lace up back designed by Yves Saint Laurent dating to the early 1990's. Dress has a slight A-line shape. Ties have shiny silver metal ends and can be worn ...Category
1990s French Cocktail Dresses
- Yves Saint Laurent 1980s Black and White Abstract Flower Print Silk Crepe DressBy Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Yves Saint LaurentLocated in San Diego, CAChic vintage 80s YVES SAINT LAURENT YSL Rive Gauche black and white abstract flower print long sleeve silk crepe dress ! Features a tailored bodice with hidden metal zipper up the si...Category
1980s French Cocktail Dresses
- 1990s Yves Saint Laurent Size 40 6 / 8 Brown Plunging Vintage 90s YSL DressBy Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in San Diego, CASexy 1990s YVES SAINT LAURENT Rive Gauche chocolate brown plunging dress and sash belt ! Features faux tortoise shell rings at each shoulder. Wrap style with hidden hook-and-eye clos...Category
1990s French Cocktail Dresses
- Vintage Yves Saint Laurent 1990s Black Metallic Tinsel Off - Shoulder 90s DressBy Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in San Diego, CAGorgeous vintage early 90s YVES SAINT LAURENT YSL Rive Gauche off the shoulder metallic tinsel sweater dress ! At first glance, this looks like a sequined dress. However, it is reall...Category
1990s French Cocktail Dresses
Recently Viewed
View MoreRead More

The Stories behind the Most Famous Luxury Fashion Logos
From Chanel to YSL, the logos of some legacy fashion houses spark instant brand recognition and have come to symbolize a kind of luxury that feels at once aspirational and attainable.

14 Iconic Luxury Handbags and the Stories behind Them
When the name of a bag is as well-known as its brand, you know it's a classic.
The 1stDibs Promise
Learn MoreExpertly Vetted Sellers
Confidence at Checkout
Price-Match Guarantee
Exceptional Support
Buyer Protection
Trusted Global Delivery