Though it now seems impossible that fashion could exist without ready-to-wear, no couturier had ever designed and produced clothes specifically for the average woman until Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008) opened the first of his Rive Gauche boutiques in 1966. Even before founding his eponymous couture house in 1962, Yves Saint Laurent expressed interest in creating clothing that was accessible and functional for people beyond traditional couture patrons. Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé chose to realize this concept in the Latin Quarter of Paris’s Left Bank, known as “Rive Gauche” in French, for its bohemian, countercultural spirit. The boutique was an immediate success. Its vibrant, somewhat androgynous offerings quickly became a phenomenon among the Parisian youth. Icons of 1960s and 1970s style such as Francoise Hardy, Catherine Deneuve, and Talitha Getty frequently wore Rive Gauche. Major media attention spread this fervor around the globe, and Saint Laurent soon opened Rive Gauche boutiques in New York, Milan, Saint-Tropez, Munich, and many other cities. As his career progressed, Saint Laurent felt increasingly that, because the world of haute couture was so disconnected from the realities of modern life, Rive Gauche was a truer mode of expression than his couture house could ever be. With this, Yves Saint Laurent was among the first couturiers to recognize that fashion trickles up as well as down. This brand set the model for prêt-à-porter, that took the fashion world by storm. 

THE FIRST
Single-breasted short jacket in purple velvet with a stand collar. Jacket features black, pressed glass buttons, tonal fabric lining, and subtle pleating at sleeve set-ins. 
Label: Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
Size Label: 34
Style/Serial No.: N/A
Made in France 

Approximate Measurements:
Shoulders:15"
Chest: 34"
Waist: 28"
Hips: 28" 
Length (high shoulder point to hem): 21"
Sleeve (center back neck to hem): 28"

THE SECOND
Pleated, wide-leg pants in black wool. Pants are fully lined and feature a button and zipper closure with two slash pockets at hips. 
Label: Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
Size Label: N/A
Style/Serial No.: N/A

Approximate Measurements:
Waist: 25"
Hips: 34" 
Length (high waist point to hem): 39"

THE THIRD
Single-breasted, notched collar jacket in black wool with velvet tuxedo trim. Jacket features rhinestone-embellished buttons at center front and cuffs, and tonal lining.
Label: Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
Size Label: 34
Style/Serial No.: N/A
Made in France 

Approximate Measurements:
Shoulders:15"
Chest: 34"
Waist: 30"
Hips: 37" 
Length (high shoulder point to hem): 20"
Sleeve (center back neck to hem): 29"

THE FOURTH
A-line skirt in black wool with light pleating at waistline. Skirt is fully lined with a zipper and hook closure at center back. 
Label: Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
Size Label: 38
Style/Serial No.: N/A
Made in France

Approximate Measurements:
Waist: 24"
Hips: 34" 
Length (high waist point to hem): 21.5"