Yves Saint Laurent may not have lived the bread-water-coffee-cigarettes life of a starving artist like Van Gogh, but the man who sold his label to the Gucci Group for $70 million in 1999 is reportedly about to have his work experience a similar sense of value ascension from beyond the grave. Christie's is auctioning off a pile of vintage couture tomorrow afternoon, including a few pieces from YSL, and experts are expecting posthumous love for the designer in the form of some furious paddle waving.

"The death of Yves Saint Laurent and the fact that he is not creating any more collections will definitely change some things," Didier Ludot, owner of the highly esteemed eponymous vintage boutique in Paris, told us. "It's very rare a lady would sell her vintage haute couture YSL — it's a good time to buy such pieces." According to him, the Christie's folks have done some major lowballing on their estimates. They estimate a YSL for Dior evening dress from 1958 will bring in $1,000 to $1,500, but Ludot thinks 8,000 euros (or $12,600) is more like it. Christie's also expects a piece of costume jewelry from Mr. Saint Laurent's last year at the house's helm to bring in $1,000 to $1,500, but Ludot says 3,000 to 4,000 euros (or $4,700 to $6,300) "is more realistic." We can't wait to watch these numbers soar — let the bidding begin.

Lot Finder - Yves Saint Laurent [Christie's]