Of course, even saying that isn't the truth - fashion design, other than Worth, didn't really begin until the 20th century, so it would be fairer to say that fashion has lost its most important designer EVER.

Most of us are so used to wearing clothes that were pioneered by St Laurent that we don't even notice it. But every time you wear jeans as respectable attire, every time you wear a safari jacket, every time you reach automatically for the black suit or dress, every time you put on a trousersuit or wear trousers in the daytime, you have St Laurent to thank for it. Add the trenchcoat, the peacoat and the 'smoking' black trousersuit for evening, and that's a pretty good legacy to leave as a designer.

St Laurent was also the first designer to make ready to wear respectable - before him, rich women had couture and the rest of us had dressmakers. But St Laurent democratised fashion, opening his Rive Gauche label in 1966 and introducing the word 'boutique' to the high street - for the first time permitting ordinary women to wear a designer line. He also began designing for men in 1976, giving stylish men a true alternative to the Savile Row tailor. So many other designers followed in his footsteps that we tend to forget how revolutionary all this was at the time.

On the catwalk, St Laurent often caused outrage. The first black models ever seen on a runway worked for St Laurent: he was always intrigued by African and ethnic fashion and beauty and this remained a recurring theme in his collections. His street-influenced beatnik fashions of 1960 cost him his job at Dior and his 1940s-influenced collection of 1971 was considered filthy and degrading by the national press, who said the women looked like hookers. His introduction of bare breasts, or breasts scarcely covered by chiffon, scandalised the bourgeousie in the 1980s, while his perfume Opium was castigated for 'glamorising drug use'.

St Laurent was a shy and retiring man whose psyche never gave him an easy time. Recognised as a great talent very young - by Christian Dior - he was head of a fashion house at 21 and had a nervous breakdown shortly after, following conscription into the army where he was mercilessly bullied for his homosexuality. On leaving the army he founded his own fashion house but he struggled with his shyness and his prodigious talent all his life, as well as alcohol and drug problems. He retired at the age of 66 in 2002 and I had the great pleasure of watching, on French television, that entire evening, which was devoted to a St Laurent retrospective, but it was perfectly clear even then that he was very ill and when he died he had been unwell for some time.

When I think of St Laurent, I think firstly of 'le smoking', and then of the famous Mondrian dresses of the 1960s, but his most beautiful collection, by his own admission, was the Russian collection of autumn/winter 1976. Never have such exquisite clothes been seen on a runway, and I doubt that they ever will be again.

The above image is taken from Yves Saint Laurent and Fashion Photography, which is available from [ASIN: US:3823899619]

Wall

For deconstructed clothing, one of my favourite small companies is Wall. I would LIVE in these clothes if I had the budget. Sticking usually to a narrow palette of greige, beige and black, Wall clothes are very timeless and flattering, and suitable for all figure types - clean, intellectual clothes for women with a brain. The firm concentrates on high-quality fabrics such as alpaca and pima cotton, and loose, wrapped or body-skimming designs with flattering necklines.

Etsy

  A great home for individual designers is the art site Etsy, which features hand-made items made by independent vendors. A new discovery here is Secret Lentil, made by Helen Carter, who contacted me after my first article on deconstructed clothing. Helen recycles used clothing into new garments, often a long way from the original. Each piece is individual and not repeated, and she specialises in serging, with revealed seams and interesting fabric combinations, often in black, grey and khaki jersey. I particularly like this starfish top.

Designer Lori Sandstedt favours a very bright and patterned palette and has a fetish for wacky aprons, which she feels women should wear more - over dresses, over skirts and over trousers. She too sells via Etsy and has her own website, where visitors can clearly see that many of her satisfied customers are women over 40 who want to look out of the ordinary. This is her Primavera dress - 'Feminine and edgy without being coy or dark'.

Danny Mansmith is a fabric artist and sculptor who also makes clothing. Here, we're moving truly into the art-to-wear category. Mansmith favours structured elements, especially in his accessories, and many of his pieces have a biker-chick feel, but this scarf and cape are among those that suit women with a more subdued taste.

Patterns

The many independent pattern companies that have sprung up over the past 10 years give fashion-conscious women another outlet. You can either sew these yourself or take them to a dressmaker - either way, you'll end up with unique garments that actually fit your body. My favourite indie pattern company is Sewing Workshop - seen here are their Japonesque jacket and Lotus skirt as made up in real life by fiber artist Nancy Shrieber for Threads magazine.

More on art to wear and independent pattern companies another time...