Saint Laurent is alluring and sensuous for autumn reminiscent of Yves Le Smoking suit days
Saint Laurent reworks familiar Parisian tropes for AW20’s seductive menswear collection
SAINT LAURENT announced its decision in April to cease showing according to traditional fashion week schedules. The move is symptomatic of the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed on the fashion industry and the world at large, principally through travel restrictions and greatly reduced human interaction. As such, the brand will be taking things into its own hands by curating collections for release in specific markets sans the structure of traditional seasons.
The brand’s autumn/winter 2020 collection was incepted prior to the announcement though. Classic French timelessness dominates the conversation here ‒ think svelte tailoring, cuban boots and a French sailor hat. It may all be quite familiar, but undeniably also eternally desirable. These are pieces that anyone will love regardless of the season.
Here is a collection that distills the essence of a French wardrobe. A peacoat with shrunken shoulders and wide lapels feels sexy and youthful in its slimmer proportions. The Le Smoking gets updated with a sprinkling of glass beads that mimics a Prince of Wales check. Languid blouses (borrowed from the ladies) get a shot of lurex and now feature ruffled bib fronts reminiscent of tuxedo shirts from the ’70s. A standout leopard print coat embodies hedonism for nightclubbers, possibly referencing Yves Saint Laurent in his youth as he graced nightclubs with his impossibly chic ensembles. Trousers are slim (not skinny) and graze the ankles to show off slender lacquered footwear. From ankle boots to loafers to patent lace-ups, the shoes all feature an irresistible rain-slicked sheen.
It may not be a conceptually groundbreaking collection, but what creative director Anthony Vaccarello has managed to do here is to gently nudge his menswear audiences out of their comfort zones. And with a house as emblematic as Saint Laurent, it will be be interesting to see how Vaccarello uses this to create new style stories in a world as uncertain as ours.
“SAINT LAURENT’S AUTUMN/WINTER
2020 COLLECTION WAS INCEPTED PRIOR TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT THOUGH. CLASSIC FRENCH TIMELESSNESS DOMINATES THE CONVERSATION
HERE – THINK SVELTE TAILORING, CUBAN BOOTS AND A FRENCH SAILOR HAT”