The atmosphere in which the collection is presented is quiet and contemplative, imbued with deep emotional resonance. Escape becomes elegance, while desire transforms into a communicative language. Once again, Anthony Vaccarello pays tribute to Saint Laurent, to fellow artists—Stanton, Angus, Ellis—and to the generation of young people who lost their lives to AIDS. It is a revisiting of the past through the eyes of the present, a reconstruction of suspended moments, of a time when desire was a form of style and beauty served as a response to emptiness. The Saint Laurent man for the upcoming summer season consciously embraces a subtle sensuality, dismantling that fragile moment in which one dresses as much to reveal as to conceal. Ambiguity becomes refinement.
“I didn’t want to be stuck in that kind of darkness.”
The chromatic treatment shifts throughout nearly every look, with subtle shades gliding from one garment to the next, including the accessories. The ties introduce a twist-and-tuck style that becomes a defining feature of the entire show. The first look steps onto the runway in ultra-short dark brown shorts paired with a burnt orange shirt; the tie is tone-on-tone, twisted and tucked into the third buttonhole, adding a touch of originality. The collection then moves to a fluid, tailored suit in a yellow-green tone, with rolled-up sleeves and a carefully composed tonal block. The palette of the entire collection is quiet and subdued—pastel and powdery hues ranging from sandy tones to ochre, turquoise blue to earthy greens—all desaturated, evoking a nostalgic link to the past. The silhouettes are refined and sculpted, yet never exaggerated. They appear soft and light, thanks also to the choice of fabrics. The shapes move fluidly, waists are cinched, and the ties are knotted low. Trench coats feature squared cuts, and blazers have broad shoulders. Nothing is overt—everything is deliberate. The sensuality is geometric, not theatrical; not exaggerated, but implied, hidden within the lines of the narrative. Dark sunglasses shield the eyes, and soft silk allows the body to breathe.
“It was a combination of Saint Laurent in 1974, and Fire Island in the ’80s.”
Yves Saint Laurent never went to Fire Island, yet the designer chose to imagine this moment—filled with art, fashion, creativity, and culture. He envisioned an episode that could have happened but instead remains suspended in his mind, without certainty or rules, guided only by a powerful imagination. The concept behind the collection is not a tribute to history, nor a memory tied to the maison’s heritage. It is a story of continuity, a choice to engage with the everyday world. A light and pure afternoon scene, bathed in the African sun so dear to Yves Saint Laurent. Vaccarello’s intention was to boldly break away from the logic of an increasingly demanding and fast-paced fashion system, and to send a joyful and honest message—with the aim, and perhaps even the hope, of beginning to create again.
