The workers' union at the Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture atelier was victorious Tuesday in its court battle with billionaire businessman Francois Pinault, whose Artemis holding company owns YSL Haute Couture.

The Tribunal de Grande Instance rejected Pinault's attempt to force the staff to accept the sale of the house to French businessman Patrice Bouygues, who planned to farm the workers out as subcontractors for other couturiers.

In addition, the court ordered Artemis to dole out about $2,500 to the workers' committee and YSL Haute Couture.

Pinault sold the loss-making operation to Bouygues for a token Euro in March, and has faced a series of angry protests from the atelier workers ever since. He plans to appeal the French court's ruling.

The $2,500 in compensation may be mere pocket change for a man of Pinault's considerable wealth -- counting Gucci, Le Printemps department store and Christie's auction house among his interests -- but to be thwarted in his ambitions by a workers union of 150 people must be a blow to his ego.

All 150 atelier workers, as well as Yves Saint Laurent's long-time business partner Pierre Berge, were in the courtroom for the decision.

Berge was once famously recorded at a fashion show bemoaning Pinault's takeover of the YSL brand and pleading with LVMH boss Bernard Arnault to "Get us out of this mess!"

Bouygues has, for the past couple of months, been discussing plans to develop the YSL couture house on Avenue Marceau into a multi-brand base where the skilled YSL staff would work for five young couturiers.

Unfortunately for Bouygues, yesterday's court ruling is yet another setback.

Meanwhile, the Paris fashion set is waiting with baited breath to see what the next move will be.