The founder of Givenchy, Hubert de Givenchy, has died at age 91. His company released a statement Morning confirming his death.

Givenchy was born into a French noble family and was supposed to do law. At the end of World War Two, he convinced his family to let him pursue his love, fashion. In 1945, Givenchy left his home in Paris to enter the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1945 at the age of 17. Before starting in his own fashion line in 1952, Givenchy worked for fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli. Givenchy was most famous for creating looks like the “little black dress” worn by Audrey Hepburn in the opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Hepburn and Givenchy were friends for 40 years and helped him establish himself in fashion, cinema and history. He would design her suits and woolen dresses for the musical funny face in 1957. Hepburn became his muse.

“It was an enormous help to know help to know that I looked the part. Then the rest wasn’t so tough anymore. Givenchy’s lovely simple clothes gave me the feeling of being whoever I played,” Hepburn once said about Givenchy.

Givenchy’s fame rised in the 1950’s and for three decades he dressed some of the most beautiful women in the world. One of his clients was US first lady Jacqueline Kennedy. His own personal elegance and impeccable manners made him stand out. He created the notion for separates. This gave the woman the freedom to choose. He created blouses, skirts, jackets and pants combinations that can be changed in many ways. This was his first collection known as ‘The Separates’. Givenchy was also the first designer to create his perfume line.In 1969, Givenchy created his first Men’s line called ‘Givenchy Gentlemen’. In 1970, Givenchy took it further and designed furnishing fabrics and designed interiors for hotels. In 1988, he sold his company to the luxury brand LVMH. In 1995, Givenchy retired to a life of comfortable discretion.

After the announcement of his death, his label said he was a symbol for Parisian elegance for more a century. Givenchy even had asked his friend admirers to donate to the children’s charity UNICEF instead of sending him flowers.