Did Yves Saint Laurent Just Deliver the Season’s Best Collection?

The Tux, as We Know It Today, Was an Innovation by the Eldest Son of Britain’s Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales (Who Would Eventually Ascend to the Throne as Edward Vii). in His Youth, Rather Than Wear a Formal Tailcoat to Soirées at the Sandringham Estate, “Bertie” Would Often Sport a Tailless Garment Cut in the Manner of a Smoking Jacket.

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So It Follows That in 1966, When Legendary Couturier and Designer Yves Saint Laurent Presented a Groundbreaking Women’s Tuxedo, He Chose to Give It the Definitive Name “Le Smoking” – Essentially, the Tuxedo. Specifically Tailored to Flatter the Female Form, Saint Laurent’s Fresh Take on the Tux Was Super Slim in the Arm and Nipped at the Waist, with a Slightly Shortened Skirt and Flared Trousers to Elongate the Leg.

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“For a Woman, the Tuxedo Is an Indispensable Garment in Which She Will Always Feel in Style, for It Is a Stylish Garment and Not a Fashionable Garment, ” Saint Laurent Said.

How Britain’s King Edward Vii Inspired Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking Jacket – Queen Victoria’s Son ‘Invented’ the Tuxedo Which the Designer Turned into High Fashion for Women

By Sarah Jenkins

• Oct 8, 2026 • 3 min read

How Britain’s King Edward Vii Inspired Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking Jacket – Queen Victoria’s Son ‘Invented’ the Tuxedo Which the Designer Turned into High Fashion for Women

Direct Answer • Key Takeaway

To Grasp How Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking – One of the Most Iconic Women’s Fashion Creations of the 20Th Century – Came to Be, You First Must Understand the Evolution of the Tuxedo, Perhaps the Most Iconic Piece of Menswear … Ever.

Sarah Jenkins

Senior Technology Editor & AI Specialist

Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.

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