YSL Auction Madness

Designers looking to boost sales in this lean economy, take note: Dying is a great marketing tool. Since the tragic passing of Yves Saint Laurent last month, the French designer's creations have gone from being prized -- and pricey -- pieces to collectors' items for the super-rich.

Today, Christie's is auctioning off a number of vintage YSL pieces which are expected to generate something of a bidding frenzy. The star item of the loot is a 1958 YSL for Dior evening dress (after the death of Christian Dior in 1957, 21-year-old Yves took over his mentor's fashion house, saved it from ruin, and invented the trapeze dress before starting his own label). The auction house is keeping its estimates very modest, at around $1,500 for the dress. But vintage fashion expert Didier Ludot thinks it could fetch almost ten times that, given all the YSL nostalgia in the air at the moment.

So that visit to your granny you've been putting off because you're sick of her asking you when you're getting married/why you're so skinny/why you don't come see her more often? There's never been a better time to do it. Just be sure to have a look in her closet while you're there -- you never know what you might find.

What's your best vintage find?