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Why fix what isn’t broken? Why change when you already excel? Sixty years after Yves Saint Laurent first introduced Le Smoking, power suits remain the hallmark of the house. Following a spring season defined by grand, voluminous evening wear, Anthony Vaccarello stripped the collection back to its core.
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Refining the Legacy
He opened with eight dark, bare-chested trouser suits; by the finale, there were fourteen. One could focus on the subtle evolutions: a sloped shoulder borrowed from menswear or the fluid, unlined construction that allowed wool to drape lightly. The styling shifted focus to the hair—slicked back, severe, and pulled into a bun—and to Pat McGrath’s makeup, which drew inspiration from the brand’s advertisements in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
The counterpoint to the sharp tailoring arrived in a series of silicone-covered lace dresses and high-shine rubber coats. Sensuality and structure offer different ways of honoring the body. While not everyone will wear a rubber raincoat, anyone can appreciate the clarity of a designer who knows exactly where their strengths lie and sees no reason to pretend otherwise.
Photos: SAINT LAURENT
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