Which designer created the famous 1965 dress inspired by Piet Mondrian’s paintings?

Yves Saint Laurent created the famous 1965 dress inspired by Piet Mondrian’s paintings.

The dress appeared in Saint Laurent’s autumn-winter 1965 collection, commonly known as the “Mondrian collection.” Its bold blocks of white, black, red, yellow, and blue echoed the geometric compositions of Dutch artist Piet Mondrian, especially his grid-based paintings.

Saint Laurent used the design to bring modern art into haute couture. The dress was made from wool jersey, and its strong construction helped the colored sections appear seamless rather than like simple printed panels. Photographs of the garment made it one of the most recognizable fashion designs of the 1960s.

A common mix-up is attributing the dress to Mondrian himself. Mondrian supplied the artistic inspiration, but the garment was designed by Yves Saint Laurent. The collection also reflected the wider 1960s interest in translating fine-art styles into clothing, alongside Saint Laurent’s other influential designs, including his 1966 “Le Smoking” tuxedo for women.