BACK in lockdown in April, Saint Laurent boldly announced its departure from the Paris Fashion Week schedule this coming seasonal spring-summer show month. Deciding to stick to their own pace and bring out collections when the brand was ready, September 9 was the date Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello picked to unveil the menswear SS21 collection.
With a film directed by frequent collaborator of the brand Nathalie Canguilhem, Saint Laurent takes us from the rooftops of its hometown Paris on a journey across the globe to New York and Beijing. Titled No Matter How Long The Night Is the video sees a group of men run across their skylines with urgency and implying a journey of liberation to find freedom.
Looks from the Saint Laurent Men’s SS21 Collection via digital presentation
Notably, Paris takes centre stage with the Eiffel Tower seen multiple times, a direct reference to their runway shows in front of this monument – even if real life shows aren’t a reality now, the brand does not want us to miss out on this backdrop to their show even presenting a runway show within the statue itself with it lights us the French capital.
Looks from the Saint Laurent Men’s SS21 Collection via digital presentation
Giving us a multitude of resources to enjoy the SS21 collection from the video to augmented reality and 3D-lenticular imagery to music playlists, Vaccarello has truly tried to give us an experience better than a show.
In terms of the actual collection, the YSL classic skinny silhouette was very much present, however with more relaxed fit options – ideal for summer evenings. Sleeveless tunic shirts and denim shorts were seen among thin bomber jackets and patterned shirts to create a casual, understated collection perfect for both occasion wear in the summer and daily use.
Accessories included weaved straw hats – some with juxtaposing coloured patterns, heptagon rounded sunglasses and silver jewellery with floral trinkets.
Though overall a basic collection with no added noise, what Vaccarello is presenting is a collection of must-haves rather than statement clothing. In the environment we are living in today, there is hardly any use for purchases of bold clothing, but rather subtle re-wearable items that can be mix-and-matched with the pieces in our wardrobes already.
Ultimately, Vaccarello has taken centre stage with the move from the Fashion Week schedule, and he has executed it incredibly well. With all eyes on the clothes, and the ability to enjoy them longer than a few moments on a livestream, Saint Laurent are leading the way.
by Imogen Clark