As a child, Laurent was incessantly taunted by his peers. As a result, he spent so much of his time alone and in his room, drawing, painting and designing dresses for his mother and sisters. He had it in his mind that it didn’t matter what others thought or said about him because he would be famous one day and prove them wrong.

At 17, Laurent presented his raw talent to the world in a dress design competition. He won first prize and caught the attention of Christian Dior, a leader of high fashion in France.

Dior gave Laurent a job on the spot as his assistant.

Laurent’s tasks at the House of Dior  included decorating the studio and designing accesories, but soon he began sketching for the Dior collection, season after season.

Following Dior’s death in 1957, Laurent, only 21 years old, became the head designer of the House of Dior.

In 1960, Laurent was called to serve time in the French Army  during the Algerian War. It was not long before fellow soldiers taunted Laurent and hazed him to the point where he found himself in a military hospital. It was there that he heard of the news that he had been fired by the House of Dior. Upon his discharge,  Laurent sued the House of Dior for breach of contract and then he opened his own house. This was a turning point in the history of fashion.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Yves Saint-Laurent revolutionized haute couture.

His homosexuality lled him to play with lesbian culture in his designs. The trend of androgeny in fashion only heightened as he feminized male clothing. He has even been noted as the designer who made the pantsuit for wearable for women.

Laurent’s sexuality was no secret to the the fashion industry nor the general public, but he never officially came out until 1991.

Laurent died of a brain tumor in 2008, but YSL Fashion is still a leader in high culture and he is honored worlwide.

Today’s leading designers credit Yves Saint Laurent as their mentor and inspiration.

He was born in Texas in 1961. He discovered his love of fashion and design after designing his first dress at age 15.

After graduating high school, Oldham moved to Dallas and worked at Polo/Ralph Lauren in 1980.  He designed his first fashion collection and sold it to Neiman Marcus in 1981.

He moved to New York City in 1988 and became creative consultant to Escada, a prestigious luxury international fashion house.

In the mid ’90s, Oldham designed a line of furniture for Warner Brothers Pictures based off of the movie Batman Forever. The ’90s also saw him getting into the field of television as he hosted a number of fashion specials for MTV.

His furniture designs were commissioned by La-Z-Boy in the early and mid ’00s. Oldham also served as creative director for Old Navy during this time.

Oldham has published books regarding subjects of his interest and expertise. He is also an active philanthropist.

He had to rethink his wardrobe to fit the L.A. lifestyle.

“I got there and realized I don’t even have the right clothes because I brought suits and ties … there is one challenge during which you’ll find me in a pair of flip-flips,” he says, laughing.

The season kicks off with Lindsay Lohan as a guest judge. Gunn says she was a great fit to the show (airing 10 p.m. Thursdays).

“She was absolutely wonderful. She knows clothes, she knows what she likes, what she doesn’t and she’s able to articulate that.”

It’s been a long wait in between seasons five and six, as NBC Universal and the Weinstein Co. battled it out in court over whether the show could move from Bravo to Lifetime.

Now that the show is on a new network, don’t expect Gunn to be any less of a calming, mentoring presence for the designers.

“I only want them to succeed,” Gunn says. “I have a very particular way of operating which is to believe in them and to believe in their abilities … I’m also respectful of the wear-and-tear that they go through on the show.”

Gunn has been described as the antithesis of “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell, who has no problem giving negative feedback.

“The British have a very different way of operating … `You are nothing and you will never become anything’ and that’s repeated to students over and over … Talk about deflating. I believe in giving individuals opportunity,” Gunn says.

Patricia Araujo received a standing ovation after parading along the runway for the Complexo B brand to end the event in a city that delights in shocking the prudish with each year’s Carnival celebration.

Complexo B designer Beto Neves said he invited Araujo to amaze the public.

“In fashion, the cool thing is to surprise,” he told the O Dia newspaper.

Globo Television’s web site called the 25-year-old Araujo “the star” of the show’s final day and model Isabeli Fontana told O Dia that Araujo “is the greatest”.

Tall and slim, the dark-haired Araujo entered the catwalk wearing a long fur coat and quickly unveiled a short black-and-white dress to the applause of the hundreds of guests at the event.

“I love to be mobbed by the press,” she told O Dia afterward. “I’ve always dreamed of being famous.”

Araujo’s legal name is Patricia Oliveira, but she is known by the stage name of araujo.

1. What are three ways to have good style on budget?

H&M – I think it’s the most stylish place. For girls, Bitten (Sarah Jessica Parker’s line) at Steve & Barry’s. I love everything she does.

Stay away from sales. It’s all the leftover stuff. If no one wants it, stay away. You can sometimes find good stuff in a sale, but a cheap price doesn’t mean it’ll be hot.

2. What is your most significant memory about money?
One of my friends gave me a dollar when I was 16, and I wrote William on it, and I still have it.

3. What is your worst habit around finances?
My disposable income. If I want it, I’ll buy it. I don’t think twice.

4. Does fame automatically equate to fortune?
No. It gets better, but not unless you’re at the Oprah level. It’s all right, but we’re not traveling on private planes. We’re hoping, but not yet.

5. What did your parents teach you about money?
They taught me nothing about money.

6. When it comes to clothes, should people have less but love what they have more? How does it mesh with our consumerism culture?
I think people should be smart about what they buy. Definitely invest in good basics because you can build your wardrobe around it. People should be more cautious about trendy items. It’s good to be cost-conscious when it comes to trendy items because you can work them into your basics. The bottom line is to spend more money on good basics and less on trendy items you won’t wear that long.

7. How does money play a role in your life? Is debt a factor?
Money is quintessential to my living. I spent outrageous amounts on clothing and entertainment. I have a very disposable income. I still don’t have bills to pay. I spend money on expensive items that I love and cherish.

8. Do you still work at the GAP?
I do. I made $80 these last 2 weeks.

9. I read somewhere that your passion is dressing women. What are some typical fashion blunders made by lesbians? What are your suggestions for improvement?
Oversized boy jeans, oversized pants and flannel shirts. Those are the most common blunders. The lipstick lesbian usually does pretty well on her own; it’s the butch girls who have issues. Buying boys clothes alone scares me. Don’t buy boys clothes. Buy things that aren’t baggy and that fit you appropriately and have a feminine touch. They don’t have to throw on lipstick and heels, but they don’t have to look like me.

10. Money can buy a lot of clothes and accessories, but can it buy happiness?
I do believe money can buy happiness. Who’s not happy when you’re loaded? More money, more problems, true, but you have a much better time.

More about William Sledd
William Sledd is host of the “Ask a Gay Man” webisodes on Bravo’s OUTzoneTV.com. The series centers on fashion where he explains the latest trends and occasionally goes on location to point out fashion “don’ts” as part of his Fashion Victim editions.

Nina Smith blogs at Queercents, where this article originated.