Noir Saint Laurent

A nocturnal ode. Like the absolute blackness of many exits, like the obscurity appearing when the walls of the fashion show room set up at the Trocadero fountain come down to make way for the darkness broken only by the lights of the Eiffel Tower, marking the time and kicking off the Saint Laurent show. A solemn music, like a litany, accompanies the models imagined by Anthony Vaccarello for the Maison owned by Kering group, walking wrapped in long flowing skirts surrounded by an atmosphere of pathos.

Jackets and coats are marked by structured shoulders and let sinuous dresses in delicate fabrics emerge underneath. Faux fur coats, designed by the same craftsmen who used to tailor the fleeces for the Maison, reveal huge shawl collars, enveloping sleeves and 80s volumes. While crocodile printed biker jackets are worn with ultra-short skirts that leave legs hoisted on sensual stiletto heels.

Kilometre-long legs stand out wrapped in shiny leggings. Stacks of bracelets become part of very clean, sometimes minimalist, silhouettes. The necklines of evening dresses reveal cuts that resemble Art deco geometries, an aesthetic admired by Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent and become a source of inspiration for Anthony Vaccarello, who this season chooses to draw on the audacity in dressing of writer Nancy Cunard and her passion for menswear, a forerunner for her times, giving shape to a reinterpretation of the iconic tuxedo, with blazers worn naked on the skin and pants softly abandoned on sharp heels. A roundup of scenic impact concluding a show that tells a more intimate side of the designer's aesthetic.

Judgment. An introspective collection for a show which Anthony Vaccarello wanted to dedicate to his father, who suddenly died a few days ago, and describes a more mature vision of sensuality. The designer’s friend Donatella Versace was there to support him. (All rights reserved)