Tuxedo

Long before it became known as the timeless sartorial statement, the tuxedo was an elegant over garment. Worn by aristocratic gentlemen in the 19th century, its principal function was to protect their evening wear from the smoke of their cigars, which were savoured in the privacy of exclusive gentlemen's smoking rooms. By turning this elegant must-have into a woman's outfit, Mr Saint Laurent built one of the most unshakable pillars of the modern woman style.