Yves Saint Laurent and black beauty

Yves Saint Laurent celebrated the beauty of black women through his entire career. The French fashion designer was among the first in history to use black models on runways.

His muse, Martinique-born model Mounia (see picture), became the first black top model in the history of Parisian haute couture and made the front pages of the major fashion magazines: Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

YSL also collaborated with Esther Kamatari, Sadiya Gueye, Katoucha, Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek and Liya Kebede.