French couturier Hubert de Givenchy, a pioneer of ready-to-wear who designed Audrey Hepburn's little black dress in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," has died at 91. His debut collection ushered in the concept of separates — tops and bottoms that could be mixed and matched, as opposed to head-to-toe looks that were the norm among Paris couture purveyors. Thus began a decades-long friendship that saw Givenchy dress the star in nearly a dozen films, including the 1961 hit "Breakfast at Tiffany's." The French president's office praised Givenchy as a designer whose name became an emblem for French elegance, with one principle: "to respect and celebrate the woman's body." His classical approach eventually "led him to no longer see himself in more unstructured styles" taking over the fashion world, the Elysee Palace statement said.

Source: ABC News March 12, 2018 15:07 UTC