Saint Laurent’s bloody chic

Everything comes from looking at the shoulders. They are altars. Tall, imposing, geometric, to build those elongated silhouettes that have become a trademark of Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent. They reference the couture world imagined by monsieur Yves himself, narrated by the vampire black, clubbing David Bowie in The hunger (1983), with Catherine Deneuve. All in a special runway with a space-fetish, not surprisingly. «With Marrakech it is like I have restarted with the man and that man comes back here to Paris», Anthony Vaccarello himself explained to MFF (see MFF of Jan 18).

And that circle that was a stargate in the Moroccan desert returns this time in the rotunda of the Bourse de commerce, home of the Pinault collection, with those Tadao Ando’s signature perforated concrete walls and frescoed ceilings. A visual crash, tradition, and avant-garde as iconic and super fresh as the parterre that is seated in Vaccarello’s magic circle, on that seat that surrounds completely without escape. Pedro Almodóvar and Jenna “Wednesday” Ortega literally throwing fans outside into raptures. In the middle of the room, a grand piano to create a live soundtrack.

A dramatically chic music to accompany a slow pace chosen by the designer to draw a new collision of masculine and feminine, with traits borrowed from the last women’s show, where lines were elongated, and heads veiled in mystery with a hood. Cagoule for the man as well, and essential palette between black, white and silver flash also in jewelry as large bracelets to clasp a wrist, large bows like sculptures for interview with the vampire, shirts with draping and marked waists, trench coats cinched at the waist and collars so high they hide the mouth, long tunics of precious knits are worn with flowing pants. Of course, the collection cannot miss the tuxedo with an air scarf that closes the show, in front of a small audience. An intimate, very confidential show.

Judgment. The show has pathos, conveys power and emotion, has no half-measures, does not want to please. Vaccarello did the right thing changing his mind and returning to Paris with his menswear collection. With a killer soul, he will leave a line of fashion victims. (All rights reserved)