In the 1960's YSL can be credited with introducing the Pants Suit to the modern women's wardrobe, revolutionizing the silhouette of womens wear from morning to night. He often sought inspiration on the streets, bringing the Parisian beatnik style to couture runways and adapting, peacoats, and patterns such as plaid found in American surplus stores into jackets that found their way into fashionable women’s wardrobes around the world.
Here is an awful photograph of a fabulous Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche mohair cape/coat. The blue and black plaid has actual arm holes and a discreet leather closure. This cocoon-ish style cape wrap, very typical of YSL in the late 1970s, was often seen floating down the Rue Faubourg Saint Honore on many a chic set of shoulders.
