Yves Saint Laurent Spring 2018 The Paris Fashion Week 2017 show held a few playful, enigmatic surprises.

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Anthony Vaccarello presented his third collection for Yves Saint Laurent at Paris Fashion Week 2017, just weeks after the unfortunate passing of Pierre Burgé, co-founder of the iconic couture house. Delving into the archives of YSL, Vaccarello celebrated what it means to be a Yves Saint Laurent woman, achieving tailored femininity lacking in previous collections, but still affirming the alluring tension associated with such women.

Setting the tone for a thoughtful memorial, the show was held at the Trocadero Fountain, with the Eiffel Tower twinkling in the background. Placed on each seat was a card reading a quote from Bergé, taken from a letter he wrote to his life-long partner Yves Saint Laurent in 2009, a year and a half after his death: “Maybe this is crazy love. The love of two madmen.”

This collection embodied this love experienced by Laurent and Bergé; a celebration of lustful chic and liberation, which was carried through from Moroccan ready-to-wear inspired outfits to the grand haute couture tradition of Saint Laurent’s atelier in Paris. A plethora of prints, patterns and fabrics created a vivacious atmosphere, yet still upholding a seductive attitude, with Vaccarello’s selective showing of skin.

The menswear looks were fresh, culturally relevant and engaging. A departure from rigid, aggressive men embodying stereotypical masculinity, the collection favoured the opposite. Plunging neck lines celebrated the body delicately, with tailored trousers and bomber jackets, including the addition of colour to highlight the playfulness of a young man, reminiscent of the relationship shared by Laurent and Bergé.

Volume and texture encapsulated this season’s couture, with the statement piece being feather trimmed boots,  already featured on Rihanna’s Instagram. Making them sleek and effortless, she showed their practicality off the runway, while still endorsing their sex appeal paired with Rihanna’s stunning body. The cloud-like leather mini dresses were exciting, ending the collection on an emblematic note, ultimately symbolising the Yves Saint Laurent woman — bold, mysterious and beautiful.

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