Minimalist Glamour Reigns Supreme: Saint Laurent’s Paris Fashion Week Show
By Alice Almeida
Saint Laurent is known for its sharp tailoring and bold accents. Its fashion shows reign Paris Fashion Week. How did it get to the top? Yves Saint Laurent changed women's fashion and challenged societal norms through innovative designs. Saint Laurent wanted to empower women from the start of his career. He achieved this through "Le Smoking", a tuxedo jacket for women that challenged gender norms thus becoming a symbol of female empowerment. Today's creative director, Anthony Vaccarello, follows Saint Laurent's steps by pushing boundaries in contemporary fashion.
Le Smoking Jacket
A model wearing a YSL suit in 1967. Via Harper’s Bazaar
Saint Laurent SS25 collection
The Saint Laurent SS25 collection was a tribute to Yves Saint Laurent. It focuses on oversized suits that are perfect for business but can be dressed up to party. It-girl Bella Hadid made a comeback to the runway in an oversized black suit and a slick back bun. This season shows the elegance in power dressing for women. The masculine suits look strong on the female body and enhance the power a woman can have. The woman Anthony Vaccarello is dressing for knows what she wants and goes for it. Saint remains a frontrunner in the luxury fashion space by dressing for a "quintessential female archetype "instead of a classic muse that wishes to seduce men. via L’Officiel
Saint Laurent's signature blazer look was accentuated this fashion week.
The goal was to empower the female clients of the brand, with leather belts and fine ties. Think masculine boardroom with a female twist, but the rigidity of the sharp shoulder made you want to take whoever wore these seriously. The leather belts and subtle floral patterns brought texture to the collection and gave it more life. This idea goes back to the brand's timeless ethos of empowering women through clothing.
The Accessories and Tones
The accessories such as glasses, necklaces, and accentuated bracelets gave a bold touch to the collection, enhancing its features and meaning. It brought the sophistication of the collection. The brocade fabrics, the jewel-toned colors, the long bell sleeves and skirts, and the color combos remind one of 80s YSL, a homage to that era.
Womenswear
For the second half of the show, Vaccarello transitioned from menswear looks to womenswear introducing translucent blouses, lace, and skirts. Vaccarello made the perfect combination of a collection that represents empowerment and strengths. A contrast between double-breasted suits and sheer skirts. The representation that a woman can feel powerful in both ways.
The Venue
For the venue, Saint Laurent chose Rue de Bellechasse and transformed the headquarters into an oval-shaped runway. The Parisian air, cold and rainy, brought to life the collection's deep-colored palettes and textured ensembles. The guests sat surrounding the runway, deep blue on the floor ready for the models to shine through. The ambiance made the collection more mysterious. The music, instrumental in the background, created the perfect atmosphere for the guests to focus on the collection.
Image via WWD
The collection responds to the growing popularity of minimalism, Vaccarello stated, "I wanted to do almost nothing," reflecting a deliberate move towards minimalism. The color scheme also focused primarily on beige, black, and other neutral tones.
All in all, Saint Laurent SS25 represented the perfect blend of its historical elements with a contemporary minimalist approach. Vaccarello understands Yves Saint Laurent's approach and developed it by implementing simplistic high fashion. Vaccarello as a creative director is able to balance the tradition of the house but innovate to match today's fashion needs and wants. In the coming months, we will see how menswear will be shown more frequently in womenswear collections and the influence it will have on our society. Vaccarello affirmed Saint Laurent's position in today's fashion market by bringing nostalgia into the present.