AS THE hour struck eight o’clock, the Eiffel Tower lit up the Trocadéro below, unveiling a striking arrangement of white hydrangeas that formed the YSL logo. It was here that Anthony Vaccarello decided to present the Spring/ Summer 2026 womenswear collection for Saint Laurent.
Returning deep into the House’s archives, the Belgian designer wanted to play with contrasts this season – but ones that also played beyond the eye and into a feeling. Could she be both a fearless heroine and a classic vision? Could restraint walk hand in hand with provocation? And, can we balance delicate romanticism with the art of severity?
The answer once again came from Robert Mapplethorpe, an artist who portrayed himself through a constant juxtaposition of opposing ideas. Drawing from this style identity, Vaccarello was inspired not only by the stark visual contrasts but also by how there was a constant thread of eroticism evident. The show notes highlighted this further, stating: “In a time when dialogue is fading, style becomes a form of discourse – not one that imposes but one that connects and adds nuances”. For SS26, the idea was to reinvent an aesthetic.
Designed to be a nocturnal creature, the Saint Laurent woman embodies confidence and sensuality in equal measure. Tension is bursting at the seams as leather and latex, structure and fluid fabrics create a push-and-pull between softness and rigid constructs. Strong shoulders in trench-style overcoats and exaggerated upper body shapes in bomber jackets dominate the first half of the collection as they arrive with fitted pencil skirts and cinched waists to give both a nod to the 80s and also a playful wink to masculine silhouettes.
Most notably, however, were the oversized and super dramatic pussy-bow blouses that find a new evolution for this season. Both skin-revealing and oversized, they give a new meaning to officewear. As the collection continued to evolve, so did the narrative, shifting from its tougher, dominating materials to romantic, somewhat emotional gowns crafted from nylon, which lightly danced in the wind as they played with volume from another angle.
As per Vaccarello’s lineage of creating sought-after accessories, SS26 kept things minimal but remained head-turningly bold: oversized sunglasses, chandelier earrings, and sharply pointed stilettos.
Never not theatrical, Anthony Vaccarello reasserts the sexual confidence and power that YSL was founded on, not in a token way but through dramatic silhouettes, thought-through styling, and inherent presence in every design. Finding the equilibrium of heritage with the trenches, tailoring and bows, and bringing his own raw edge to the equation, SS26 rejects the notion of “quiet luxury” in favour of being more expressive – it’s a collection that proves self-expression always creates a desirable moment.
by Imogen Clark