The concept of temporality is the starting point for the research behind Anthony Vaccarello’s new Winter 23 collection for Saint Laurent. For the Creative Director, the present moment is an aspect of great inspiration, uniquely juxtaposed with the brand’s aesthetic and aspects that distinguish his creative flair. The precision can be seen in the very structures of the clothes, austere and sharp. Instead, it is the flowing fabrics of large bows presented at the neck of blouses and long train of royal-looking stoles that give the silhouettes a feminine and sophisticated movement.
“Maybe elegance is something we have no sense of today. Maybe we don’t care about it. Maybe it has some other meaning, or maybe it has no meaning at all. But I really want to bring that idea of being dressed.”
The concept of emotion shines through at the same time in the practice of dissolving gender-related categorizations. Classic elements of the men’s wardrobe of the 1980s become symbols of sensuality, long blazers are presented side by side with voluminous leather bomber jackets, in sharp contrast to sheer dresses and fine-shouldered tops, pinstripes in shades of gray and retro-looking tartans. Every detail appears perfectly in harmony with a timeless feminine wardrobe. Reticence can be read in the light or thick and opaque materials, which are interrupted by chiffon, crepe-de-chine and muslin elements; an illusion of layers and transparencies that allows the Saint Laurent woman to play with her body in a severe yet attractive and provocative way. The pivotal silhouette of the défilé features wide blazers and straight knee-length skirts. A look that becomes ultra modern thanks to unmistakable accessories, large dark-lensed glasses, jewelry and golden details worn with an innate modern ease.
The giant logo at the entrance of the catwalk is a clear reference to the past, to the brand’s history. In fact, the old Yves Saint Laurent monogram recalls that sense of opulence characteristic of the brand’s Haute Couture shows between 1975 and 2001, as does the setting, which harks back to the ballroom of the Intercontinental Hotel where collections were presented for decades. This reference to the past is cleverly transformed into a modern key, bronze-hued chandeliers illuminate the catwalk in a warm yellow, which seems still from years gone by but can be extremely sophisticated. The black space that envelops the atmosphere, together with the sublime défilé presented by Vaccarello, once again recreates a unique atmosphere, inspired by the past but extraordinarily turned to the future.
“I like the idea of evoking Yves Saint Laurent without referring to a certain piece. It’s more of an evocation. I like to play with the fantasme we have in the house without doing clothes from the past.”
