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Yves Saint Laurent and sometime-muse Catherine Deneuve

Legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent died at his home in Paris last night. The 71 year old designer had long suffered from poor health and succumbed to complications of brain cancer.

Yves Saint Laurent started his career in the fashion limelight when he took over Christian Dior at the age of twenty-one. He introduced the trapeze dress and put out a couple of headline-grabbing collections before he was drafted into the French army and suffered a nervous breakdown.

Saint Laurent returned to design in 1962, starting his own label financed by companion and business partner Pierre Berger.

Under his own label, Saint Laurent changed the way that women dressed, introducing le smoking tuxedo and safari suits in the 1960’s and revolutionizing ready-to-wear. He was also one of the first to use black models on the catwalk, among them, friend and muse Katoucha Niane who died earlier this year.

Au revoir Yves. You will be missed.

Ummm…did Karl Lagerfeld approve this?

Japanese actress/singer Tomoe Shinohara chose an “interesting” hairdo for the Chanel Mobile Art opening in Tokyo.

I have been to some crazy hair shows (Detroit stand up!), but walking around with a weaved lion sitting on your head is not what’s hot.

Mary J Blige, Eric Dane and Russell Simmons each have designed a limited edition Ernst Benz watch to benefit Chrysalis, the nonprofit association that helps men and women transition from poverty. The collection, dubbed Time for Change, will offer a numbered series of 24 watches per designer in honor of Chrysalis’ 24th anniversary. Renderings of the watches will be unveiled on May 31 at the 7th Annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball in Los Angeles on Saturday. Fifty percent of the proceeds from each watch sold — which range from $4,000 to $22,000 — will go to Chrysalis. Several watches also will be auctioned off on eBay in June, while the remainder will hit stores in the fall.

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Elaborate beading on a black tank turns a wardrobe staple into a statement-making piece. Slip it on under a blazer and punch up a simple outfit with cool embellishment. (on sale now for $58)

Colorful accessories are the perfect place to experiment with semi-precious stones. Shoulder-scraping lapis chandelier earrings by Siman Tu ($275) give your evening look a pop of brilliantly hued blue.

Metallics and stones are an organic combo. Bronze sandals by Bo’em ($195) are the perfect backdrop for three naturally-shaped and marbled stones.

Straw bags are a must-have for beach weather, but when you trade in your carryall for a little raffia clutch, you’ve suddenly gone from beach to chic. Kotur’s straw clutch ($311) with polished jade and tigereye clasp is right at home at a breezy patio soirée on a balmy night. Clutch in one hand, caipirinha in the other.

Hot off her ‘06 CFDA Fashion Fund award, designer Doo-Ri Chung has put her own spin on Swarovski with a 20-piece collection for Atelier Swarovski. This modern but delicate doo.ri cuff ($245) puts chunky crystal pieces on a burgundy cuff and covers them in gauzy organza.

Tune your televisions to BET tonight at 8:30pm, posh peeps!

BET News will be airing Fashion Blackout — a fashion come to Jesus meeting when they “take an inside look at one of fashion’s biggest faux pas: the lack of Black models”.

The 30 minute special is bound to include some words from Bethann Hardison, Tyra Banks, and Iman. But hopefully *fingers crossed*, they get Vogue Editor-at-Large Andre Leon Talley to wax philosophical about why black girls go M.I.A. inside the pages of major fashion glossies.