PFW SS19: Saint Laurent

ANTHONY Vaccarello is walking on water with Saint Laurent – quite literally. Last night, the designer unveiled his SS19 collection for the French house during Paris Fashion Week. One might ask, what is Paris without its acclaimed vision of the Eiffel Tower? According to Vaccarello, very little, for the landmark stood as the backdrop for his ready-to-wear show. Accessorised with palm trees upon the sidewalk of the runway, this was a classic unveiling of style. And the collection did much to map that proposed idea.

The show opened with sharp tailoring – a mastery of Saint Laurent. Since Vaccarello debuted his first collection for the house some two years ago, he has made careful choice to balance classic suit attire with contemporary injections. Thus – for SS19 – accessories. They pulsed through his smartwear in the form of shoes and scarves – clad in animal prints of the snakeskin and leopard kind. As for headwear, flapper-style bands nipped the foreheads of many models, and so too did classic fedoras surface on the rather slippery runway.

That’s the thing about Saint Laurent – if you’re a fan of glamour, its pieces always feel timeless and wearable. Vaccarello continuously revives glitzy staples that feel practical for day or night, depending on your mood (hint: that mood should show confidence at any point of day). As far as structures were concerned, garments spanned across a pretty wide range, from LBDs to feathered corsets, to cocktail dresses, to leg-splitting gowns. Catered too all women of elegance! Oh, and for the lovers of simplicity, not to fret – most of the clothing was painted in black. Mick Jagger is thriving!

So how did the spring and summer seasons influence Vaccarello? Through singular styling of pieces over a colour palette. Shimmering bodysuits were styled atop thin, dusty grey tights and strappy stilettos. An ode to the eighties? Evidently, and we’re here for it. With the stability of Saint Laurent still going strong, it’s unlikely Vaccarello’s fondness for dark femininity is fading any time soon. As far as an acquirement for a shining statement is desired, we’ll be turning to the historical French house for the foreseeable future. Shimmer and splashes and all, its styling always takes a walk on the wild side.

by Faye Fearon