PARIS – The conclusion of Paris Fashion Week was captured by Saint Laurent in a sensational manner on Tuesday night. The striking image of the Eiffel Tower shining against the dark sky complemented a grand black onyx stage that gleamed like a mirror.
Designer Anthony Vaccarello presented a fall collection that distilled the essence of the fashion house into bold and elegant silhouettes. The emphasis was on precise tailoring and dominant shoulders, creating a powerful aesthetic. Models showcased the collection with confidence and grace, exhibiting bold shapes, luxurious fabrics, and a strong yet minimalist presence.
The sentiment expressed by Saint Laurent’s partner Pierre Bergé – “Chanel gave women freedom. Yves Saint Laurent gave them power.” – was evident in every detail of the show. Vaccarello’s designs exuded a sense of empowerment through structured blazers worn as dresses, sleek pencil skirts, and effortlessly chic bomber jackets. These garments transcended fleeting trends, demanding admiration and respect.
Front row
A show of this magnitude attracted an equally formidable audience. Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, Kid Cudi, and Charli XCX took their seats as the runway came to life. The most anticipated moment of the night arrived with Bella Hadid, making her singular catwalk appearance of the season. Her presence ignited social media, reaffirming Saint Laurent’s cultural dominance.
The shoulder first silhouette
Vaccarello has always understood the language of power dressing, and this season was no exception. Shoulder lines were bold and deliberate, defining the collection’s structured blazers, high-collared frocks, and sleek outerwear.
Models cut through the dimly lit stage in rich, saturated hues — tangerine, fuchsia, and deep grass green — bringing depth to an otherwise restrained aesthetic. Experimental fabrics elevated the collection: silicone-coated floral and animal prints, stretch materials paired with guipure lace, and distressed couture textiles. The closing looks, with voluminous skirts and sculptural hip inserts, added a hypnotic, fluid movement to the show.
Precision, power and proportions
Saint Laurent has always walked the line between masculine and feminine, and Vaccarello honed in on that tension with precise tailoring and calculated volume. Jackets skimmed the body like armor, while floor-length skirts billowed with an air of controlled drama. Leather jackets thrown over structured gowns toughened up the elegance, a reminder that power dressing doesn’t mean compromise, it means control.
Onyx, iron
The setting was as much a statement as the clothes themselves. The show unfolded on a vast, gleaming onyx oval, a deliberate contrast of strength and sophistication. Digital walls, veined with earthy browns and blacks, pulsed with movement, reinforcing the collection’s depth. Under the Eiffel Tower’s steel framework, the scene felt monumental, like a closing act to fashion’s biggest stage.
The talk of the night: Linda, lace and luxury
Linda Evangelista’s arrival in a Saint Laurent business-meets-mobster suit was a moment in itself — a reminder of the brand’s enduring appeal across generations. Meanwhile, industry insiders buzzed about the closing gowns, their sheer volume paired with toughened-up leather and chunky rock crystal jewelry, a nod to Yves Saint Laurent’s lucky stone.
What the designer says
“Instead of speaking through ornament or padding, fabrics and precise construction shape the garments,” read the show notes. “Pure forms and volumes are derived from construction and cut.”
With razor-sharp execution and a venue that reinforced its impact, Saint Laurent fall showed that power, precision, and control were at its core, proving that some legacies don’t fade. They evolve.
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