Let’s take a trip, alongside Anthony Vaccarello, to the majestic universe of the Fall 2021 collection from Saint Laurent. In this landscape, French luxury meets the rawness of nature.
One thing is always true: a Saint Laurent runway show is always an important event. And, since our collective reality changed with the coming of the pandemic, Anthony Vaccarello has taken on the task of creating stunning visuals for us. He didn’t just give us a collection full of perfectly tailored pieces; he took us to a fantasy land.
In his previous runway show, Vaccarello chose majestic sand dunes as the backdrop to his collection. Anyone watching that breathtaking show marveled as the models walked the arid desert. This time, Vaccarello transported us to an equally impressive space, an icy winter landscape.
Every one of the pieces that came down the runway stood out, even against such an impressive backdrop. Tweed suits brought back 1960s-esque silhouettes, but in Vaccarello’s new and vibrant palette of colors including violet, olive, light pink, cobalt, gold, and chartreuse. To complement this glam-rock aesthetic, the models wore leather miniskirts paired with metallic bodysuits, a nod to another decade of the past, the 80s. This collection is a bit of a melting pot of the brand’s most legendary elements, all of them reinterpreted in the irreverent style of Vaccarello.
I honestly loved the whole show: the rocky landscape, the magnificent waterfall, the reserved colors of the landscape, the winter flora, and the icy beach with cold wind and waves whipping in the background. What better armor to face the wilderness than a silver bodysuit under a red tweed jacket? It’s the perfect balance between fragility and power.
Just as Saint Laurent often does, this collection broke the mold and simply had fun with itself. The brand has always liked to play with that line between elegance and eccentricity. It’s a delicate balance that only some can achieve. A clear example is the mint-green tweed jacket and skirt with a faux fur hem, paired with a cobalt bodysuit. When you first see the look, you wonder if it can truly be pulled off, and then, you’re immediately convinced of how brilliant it is.
To complement the clothing of the collection, there were jewels that shone as bright as the icy landscape itself. We saw gold link chokers, XL earrings in the shape of crosses, and long crystal earrings that dangled down to the collarbone. The women’s looks in this season from Saint Laurent were nothing short of opulent.
The designer’s message is clear: it’s time to take a deep breath and have some fun, not in a decadent manner, but in a way that allows us to enjoy the moment and celebrate the fact that we’re alive.
XO
Sira