Anthony Vaccarello confirms the Parisian seduction
The September 2025 Paris Fashion Week opens with a highly anticipated event: Saint Laurent SS26, presented by Anthony Vaccarello. Once again, the Eiffel Tower serves as a theatrical backdrop, transformed into a living monument bathed in warm, cinematic light. The effect is mesmerizing: the city itself becomes part of the narrative, confirming Paris as more than just a setting—it is central to Saint Laurent’s visual language.
A star-studded front row
Even before the first look, the audience steals the spotlight. The front row showcases fashion icons from multiple generations: Madonna, dressed in head-to-toe black, sits beside her daughter Lourdes; Kate Moss with Lila Grace embody timeless elegance; Zoë Kravitz, Vaccarello’s contemporary muse, exudes magnetic minimalism; alongside them, Linda Evangelista, Carla Bruni, Eva Herzigova, Hailey Bieber, and Rosé of Blackpink. The lineup is more than celebrity presence—it reflects Saint Laurent’s enduring role as a cultural bridge between fashion, music, and cinema.
Iconic codes, subtle innovation
The first looks immediately reveal Vaccarello’s mastery of Saint Laurent’s grammar. The collection plays on the familiar yet constantly refreshed: sharp V-shaped silhouettes, sculpted shoulders, black leather, and monumental bows, paired with sheer fabrics and technical nylon that drapes like contemporary silk. This balance of tradition and innovation keeps Saint Laurent both relevant and desirable.
Continuity as desire
Vaccarello has long built his collections around a set of signature codes: sharply exaggerated shoulders, the trench as a modern uniform, leather jackets that act as armor, and oversized bow-tied shirts as bold, theatrical statements.
In SS26, these elements remain central, yet are presented with a renewed allure. Pencil skirts, coat-dresses that catch the wind, cascading ruffles, and layered frills move fluidly between precision tailoring and dramatic flair, proving that repetition, when executed with mastery, can become a source of desire rather than predictability.
Set design as a statement
The runway itself becomes a declaration. At its center, the original YSL logo by Cassandre is displayed in full, surrounded by meticulously arranged white peonies. This ephemeral garden evokes Yves Saint Laurent’s private Parisian sanctuary and love for flowers, symbolizing a bridge between heritage and contemporary elegance.
Dominating the stage, the Eiffel Tower adds a monumental presence. Bathed in warm light, it is more than a backdrop; it frames the show with grandeur, turning the event into a collective ritual that connects the audience to the city itself. In this interplay of ephemeral nature and timeless architecture, Vaccarello’s poetic vision emerges—honoring memory while pursuing a cinematic, powerful image.
The many faces of Saint Laurent women
The collection tells a story of multifaceted femininity. Vaccarello presents not a single figure, but a constellation of archetypes.
There is the leather-clad heroine, powerful and sculpted, reminiscent of Robert Mapplethorpe’s iconic photography. Oversized jewelry reinforces her strength, transforming her body into seductive armor.
Next, a refined, bourgeois figure abandons austere suits for lightweight trench coats and technical fabrics, with strategically placed sheer panels that reveal without exposing. Her subtle allure contrasts with the first archetype’s boldness.
Finally, the theatrical princess glides through the runway in flowing gowns with gigot sleeves, their voluminous movement captured by the gentle Parisian wind. The combination of strascichi and dramatic silhouettes evokes both literary heroines and classic screen icons.
The color palette unites these diverse women. Black leather—a Saint Laurent signature—is punctuated with flashes of emerald, magenta, and orange, creating visual tension and emphasizing the collection’s expressive contrasts.
Nylon and contemporary couture
Nylon emerges as a surprising material, transforming everyday practicality into couture drama. Lightweight coats and flowing mantles become fluid sculptures, moving with the wearer and the wind. Vaccarello blends technical functionality with theatricality, demonstrating that seduction thrives in contrasts.
French melancholy as a code of seduction
The collection embodies a quintessentially French sense of sensuality. Seduction is implied rather than explicit: a coat worn alone, baroque jewelry as a power statement, a masculine-inspired shirt revealing an unexpected boldness. Vaccarello honors Yves Saint Laurent’s codes while keeping them fresh and modern—bridging restraint and provocation, tradition and irreverence.
A finale of modern royalty
The finale of the show transforms the runway from precise tailoring into a scene of pure fantasy. Models wear oversized coat-dresses with flowing ruffles that move gracefully with every step, creating the illusion of floating or wings in motion.
The use of nylon, a modern and practical material, adds an unexpected contemporary edge, giving the garments both lightness and structure.
This combination of historical luxury—suggested by the dramatic volume and elaborate detailing—and modern functionality highlights the collection’s narrative: it celebrates Saint Laurent’s heritage while showcasing Vaccarello’s ability to reinterpret classic elegance in a visionary, theatrical way.
Consistency, saturation, and desire
Saint Laurent SS26 does not aim to reinvent the brand’s legend but to reaffirm it. Vaccarello’s language—precision, sensuality, theatricality—remains intact, hypnotic in its predictability.
Yet, a subtle sense of design saturation emerges. Some view Vaccarello’s tenure as approaching its final chapters, questioning how far the familiar codes can be pushed. Despite this, the formula works: Saint Laurent remains coveted, unshakable in the market, and continues to captivate the global imagination. The winning recipe endures, proving that the maison’s appeal lies not in constant reinvention, but in perfect execution of its timeless codes.
