"By 1976, Saint Laurent was downing two liters of whiskey a day, and his prolonged absence from the fashion scene fueled persistent rumors of his death, which grew louder in 1985 when he was hospitalized after falling into an alcohol-induced coma."

As the world mourns the passing of fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent, let's not forget other aspect of the man's life: his heroic capacity for drugs and alcohol, and his bitter rivalry with fellow designer Karl Lagerfeld.