Yves Saint Laurent's creative director Hedi Slimane returned to work for the fashion house to ''protect'' its values.

The French-born designer - who is a celebrity dresser for David Bowie, Daft Punk and Madonna - was artistic director for the luxury brand founded by Pierre Berge and YSL in 1961, but left to join Christian Dior and has revealed he felt compelled to return to save its ''foundations''.

Heid, 47, said: ''I went back to design for Pierre (Berge) and Yves (Saint Laurent) only. I owe him and Yves everything, this is why I tried my best the last four years to protect and consolidate the foundations of their house, no matter what it meant for me, or my life. It was somehow a question of honour, duty and unconditional love.''

Pierre, aged 81, has taken a back seat in the business and since his partner and lover YSL died in 2008 at the age of 71 and Hedi holds fond memories of being friends with both and the support they showed him even when he left the brand.

He told Yahoo! Style: ''I would never forget Pierre asking me to take picture in the backstage of the final Yves Saint Laurent couture show, I have this moving archive of that historical show, Yves overwhelmed, Loulou de la Falaise next to him, looking for the last time at all he had created!

''The most meaningful (memory) was certainly the first Dior Homme show, with Yves and Pierre in the audience. Pierre had called me the day before to let me know Yves wanted to come. The day of the show it was the only thing I could think about and that mattered to me.''