Our columnist knows that Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello dug deep into the house’s archives for his latest collection.
At Saint Laurent, it’s now chic without shock – as with many other fashion houses.SAINT LAURENT
The broad, padded shoulders at Saint Laurent are back! In 1988 I was allowed to look behind the scenes of this famous Parisian fashion house for the first time and quickly understood what makes the difference between this very special craft of luxury fashion and what is worn on the street. Because it is not the designer’s draft that counts, but also its masterful implementation.
I will always remember the kind man who explained everything to me. His name: Jean Pierre Derbord. The legendary patternmaker breathed life into the visions of the great Yves Saint Laurent for nearly forty decades. Jean Pierre revealed all his secrets to me during my visit. So I know that even today a lot is still based on his developments. Also the sophistication of the designs of today’s chief designer Anthony Vaccarello. The typical Saint Laurent shoulders of the jackets are ironed again and again during their production – and that for hours: “First the shoulder has to be ironed straight, then shaped again so that it fits perfectly,” said Jean Pierre. A comparatively huge effort that, among other things, accounts for the mastery of the House of Saint Laurent to this day.
No logos, just chic and sophistication
When Vaccarello recently showed his new Saint Laurent collection at Paris Fashion Week, his strong commitment to elegance was noticed. Other houses also showed more formal fashion, a far cry from the sportswear of previous seasons. There were no logo sweatshirts or aggressive branding on the garments. The luxury brands are back to their unique selling propositions these days, because the high prices have to be justified to customers in the long run. And of course they tend to invest in recognizable tailoring, fine materials and the very special know-how of Parisian couture.
What counts now: pure elegance and a return to the typical YSL codes.Saint Laurent
The original model of this leather jacket is also a classic, greetings from the 80s.SAINT LAURENT
Vaccarello uses the knowledge and skills that have been masterfully developed and perfected since it was founded by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in 1962. Chic, sophistication and razor-sharp Parisian elegance are clearly conveyed down the runway in all of his sixty looks. The decor of the fashion show also transported visitors to that era, which the designer brilliantly transported to the present day: on the floor the famous Moiré carpet designed exclusively for the house by Jacques Grange and on the ceiling the golden chandeliers of the former headquarters on Avenue Marceau.
Back to the Future
The parade of looks, no model without large sophisticated sunglasses, evokes the codes that made Yves Saint Laurent world famous. Tuxedos, oversized jackets with broad shoulders, plus tartan blouses with bows, plaids and large leather bomber jackets in the mid-eighties style, which Claude Montana first modernized in 1983. Everything to the point. You can feel how Vaccarello has tried the archive of the brand. Although all haute couture models are on display in the YSL museums in Paris and Marrakech, the actual archive was in the hands of fashion historian Olivier Chatenet. However, the Saint Laurent brand reacquired the more than 5000 pieces of clothing and 4000 accessories in 2020 and can now draw on them. And as has just been shown, the vintage collections are incredibly important for the future of the house. Because it is defined by the symbiosis of past and present. Saint Laurent fans will be lining up for this great collection.