In quotes: Yves Saint Laurent tributes
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Tributes have been paid to Yves Saint Laurent, one of the best-known and most influential fashion designers of the second half of the 20th century, who has died in Paris aged 71.
Chanel gave women freedom. Yves Saint Laurent gave them power. He was someone who was very shy and introverted, who had only very few friends and hid himself from the world.
Like all creators, Yves Saint Laurent had two faces, a public face and a private face.
He no longer liked the world of today's fashion... he said it didn't understand him. He had a great, immense love affair with fashion. It's true that he left the profession, but in a couple you can split up because you must do so ... and still be very unhappy. That was his case. 
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.
He was an artist of genius who turned the sober dinner jacket into a symbol of French elegance.
Chanel, Schiaparelli, Balenciaga and Dior all did extraordinary things. But they worked within a particular style. Yves Saint Laurent is much more versatile, like a combination of all of them.
He's got the form of Chanel with the opulence of Dior and the wit of Schiaparelli.
Yves Saint Laurent invented everything, revisited everything, transformed everything to the service of a passion, to let woman shine and to free her beauty and mystery.
He completely revamped a woman's wardrobe. His fashion was full of colour and inspired by art.
He was an exemplary person. The reason why I wear so many trousers is thanks to Yves Saint Laurent. Even before anybody else, he understood what the new woman was.
He designed trousers for working women that were very comfortable, yet that were at the same time sophisticated. It was very functional yet elegant. He left the pantsuit open to interpretation. By combining it with a silk blouse or a print shirt, he could make a male style look feminine. I loved it.
Mr Saint Laurent revolutionised modern fashion with his understanding of youth, sophistication and relevance. His legacy will always be remembered.