The fashion industry mourns a loss as it bids farewell to the quintessential icon, Yves Saint Laurent. Mr. Laurent spent over four decades in the fashion industry making an impact, changing the course of the industry and leaving a phenomenal legacy before retiring in 2002. His leagacy is one that will carry on and one that has impacted the fashion industry in such a way as to set a standard for how and why things are done.
"He was the first to put women in pants, the first to put them in tuxedos, the first to put them in masculine clothes, the first to employ black models," he said. "He was audacious, he revolutionised the trade."
An icon of his time and a leader in the fashion industry, Yves Saint Laurent broke many "taboos" in his day by doing things that hadn't been done by others. He didn't care what others thought or how he was perceived. In other words, he went with his heart and not his head.
Leaders who think about the results of their actions rather than the steps it takes to get there are far more successful than their peers or counterparts. Being an effective leader always require sacrifice and taking chances. Delving into the unknown is what makes a leader stand out and be recognized. Even if they do not find success in their decisions, they will still be known as the one who tried. Yves Saint Laurent was definitely one who took chances and pushed the envelope. For that, and among other things, he will be remembered as the fashion mogul who single-handedly changed the industry. All because he dared.
Do you take chances as a leader? Do you think it's wise for leaders to take chances or to play it safe, assured of the outcome?
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