Amidst the little black dresses and tailored jackets that paraded the Saint Laurent S/S19 catwalk, Anthony Vaccarello sent out an archive print that secretly stole the show...
Last September, under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, models stomped out onto a black, waterlogged catwalk lined with fake white palm trees, signalling the dramatic start of the Saint Laurent Spring/Summer ’19 show. As the girls stalked along in towering platforms, music by Sebastien pulsating, the looks vibed through masculine cuts, scandalously sheer, ’70s rock ‘n’ roll, ’60s ingénue and Helmut Newton-inspired provocateur.
Anthony Vaccarello sent out what was a clear tribute to Yves Saint Laurent’s ardent flair for female liberation. There were Le Smoking references, shorter-than-before mini dresses and tailored corset-waisted trousers. This was sexy dressing and the homage was crystal clear.
Arriving in stores this month, the strong, sensual, and elegant collection is just as much Vaccarello as it is Saint Laurent. “It’s a mix of different things that inspired me for the collection: Macadam Cowboy, The Warriors movie, Robert Mapplethorpe photography and era, the free spirit of the Seventies but also Fassbinder and Abel Ferrara,” says Vaccarello. “Nothing is taken from one thing in particular, otherwise [it] wouldn’t be new!”
On top of these references, Vaccarello was informed by a mixture of decades and different personalities that influenced, transformed and altered Saint Laurent’s life, such as the vintage upcycled personal style of Paloma Picasso, a close personal friend and lifetime muse to the designer, as well as the clothes he once created for French pop star Sylvie Vartan.
For almost a decade Saint Laurent was the singer’s go-to designer,creating playful clothes for her performances that were just as fabulous and eccentric as the chanteuse herself. For Spring/Summer, Vaccarello revives the custom made YSL dress scattered with sequin stars and hearts Vartan wore on stage circa 1970. A key look, the S/S19 version is a playsuit with the same multi-coloured sequin motifs, this time worn with red heart-print platforms that would make a Seventies rock god proud.
All very rock ‘n’ roll, a deep musical thread runs through the collection all the way down to the shoes. Further references to Bowie and Hendrix are evident in a red velvet band-boy jacket styled atop short shorts, and a tan suede blazer dotted with colourful appliqué stars. Vaccarello continued his play with these prints – which are predominantly influenced by those seen in the 1971 spring haute couture show entitled The Scandal Collection – onto the new season bags.
Browse through the new season Kate bags here...
When the looks aren’t splashed with motifs, they are loud in head-to-toe leopard print, dramatic black, peek-a-boo sheer or slashed to the hip or navel, worn with wide-brimmed fedoras (now a signature) and bohemian jewelled headbands. Just like Saint Laurent, Vaccarello gives us timeless pieces that are carefree yet strong, bold yet feminine and most importantly, liberating. Show-stopping pieces that demand attention that, in today’s MeToo era, will put some pep in any modern woman’s step.
When questioned as to why there are so many elements to this new season line-up Vaccarello quips, “Eclecticism is freedom to build yourself, express your own personality and respect your complexity.” And express himself he did. The 95 looks that splashed along the catwalk at the Trocadéro clearly tell the story of the two men, decades apart, who empower women with their clothes.
Also, discover Saint Laurent's '80s-inspired collection for Fall/Winter '19.
