The YSL Photos You Haven’t Seen A Million Times Before On Tumblr

Yves Saint Laurent's early, '50s and '60s career has been the primary focus of two recent biopics. But, the designer actually did some of his most celebrated work in the decades after his boy-genius years.

It's those years that are vividly captured in Yves Saint Laurent, a new book of photographs by Roxanne Lowit. The tome offers a behind-the-scenes peek at some of Saint Laurent's most iconic designs — from 1976's sumptuous Ballets Russes collection to the brocade and ball-gown looks of the '80s, all the way until his last show in 2002.

Click ahead for an inside look at the height of Saint Laurent's jet-setting lifestyle — model besties, celeb muses, and all — and his era-defining designs.

Yves Saint Laurent is available at Thames & Hudson.