Loulou de la Falaise was a French-English fashion icon, designer, and muse, best known for her long-standing collaboration with Yves Saint Laurent. Born Louise Vava Lucia Henriette de La Falaise in 1948, she grew up between England and France in an aristocratic and bohemian milieu that would shape her eclectic sense of style.

Often described as the embodiment of Parisian chic, Loulou became a symbol of nonchalant elegance. Her style mixed haute couture with a boho spirit—bright colors, bold jewelry, and an instinctive flair for personal expression.

In the early 1970s, she began working closely with Yves Saint Laurent, initially as a muse and later as a collaborator. She contributed significantly to his accessory and jewelry lines, and her imaginative, joyful take on fashion influenced many of his collections during their 30-year partnership.

Beyond her work with Saint Laurent, Loulou designed her own lines of jewelry and clothing later in life, maintaining her unique and uncontrived aesthetic. She passed away in 2011, but remains a fashion legend—celebrated not only for her creative contributions but also for her magnetic personality, bohemian lifestyle, and fearless approach to style.

Loulou de la Falaise photographed by Guy Marineau during an interview with W Magazine on June 1, 1976 in Paris

Loulou de la Falaise, photo by Jeanloup Sieff, Vogue UK, 1966

Loulou de la Falaise in knit dress from Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Autumn/Winter 1969, photo by Peter Knapp for Elle, 1969

Loulou de la Falaise, photo by Jack Robinson in New York, 1969

Loulou de la Falaise photographed by David Bailey for Vogue, September 15, 1970

Loulou de la Falaise photographed by Pierre Bergé (partner of Yves Saint Laurent) in Marrakech, circa 1970

Loulou de la Falaise, photo by Bert Stern, Vogue, October 1, 1970

Loulou de la Falaise, photo by Elisabetta Catalano, Paris Vogue, May 1970

Loulou de la Falaise, photo by Jean Larivière, circa 1970

Loulou de la Falaise, photo by Patrick Lichfield, Vogue, October 1, 1970.

Loulou de la Falaise, photo by Patrick Lichfield, Vogue, October 1, 1970

Loulou de la Falaise, photo by Richard Avedon, Vogue US, 1970

Loulou de la Falaise, photo by Elisabetta Catalano, Rome, 1971

Loulou de la Falaise in Yves Saint Laurent outside the original Rive Gauche Boutique on Rue de Tournon, photo by Umberto Guidotti, Elle, 1972

Loulou de la Falaise, photo by Gerard Malanga, New York, 1972

Loulou de la Falaise at Le Palace, photo by Roxanne Lowit, 1978

Loulou de la Falaise with Yves Saint Laurent, photo by Pierre Boulat, 1978

Loulou de la Falaise, photo by Bettina Rheims, circa 1978

Loulou de la Falaise dazzles in a self-styled Yves Saint Laurent look, photo by Roxanne Lowit, 1980

Loulou de la Falaise in Yves Saint Laurent, photo by Mike Yavel, Elle, 1982

Loulou de la Falaise with some of her favorite pieces, photo by Guy Marineau, Women’s Wear, 1984

Loulou de la Falaise, photo by Jean-Pierre Masclet, 1984

Loulou de la Falaise in a Saint Laurent fur, photo by André Leon Talley on the Pont Alexandre III in Paris, Vanity Fair, March 1987

Loulou de la Falaise with Yves Saint Laurent in shadow, photo by Victor Skrebneski, 1987

Loulou de la Falaise is wearing one of Yves’ favorite pieces, a gold wheat brooch, photo by Jean-François Gaté, 1988

Loulou de la Falaise on the streets of Paris, photo by Arthur Elgort, Vogue Italia, September 1988

Loulou de la Falaise wearing a pair of her tassled earrings and a 1990 Yves Saint Laurent haute couture jacket, photo by Oberto Gili, German Vogue, September 1990

Loulou de la Falaise in Yves Saint Laurent jacket with her costume jewelry she designed, photo by Pascal Chevallier, Vogue, 1992

Loulou de la Falaise in embroidered bolero from Saint Laurent’s Spring/Summer 1993 collection, photo by André Rau, Elle, 1993

Loulou de la Falaise sitting on a chest of drawers painted by her mother Maxime de la Falaise, photo by André Rau for Elle, 1993