Show Notes: Saint Laurent Embraces The Spirit Of Art Deco
Anthony Vaccarello took a less literal route when interpreting Jazz Age chic.
By Margaux Levy,
Not many would associate Art Deco with the house of Saint Laurent. But that '20s style influence has always had a presence in legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent's life and oeuvre.
The Monsieur collected a pair of Dunand vases that can be traced back to an exhibition in 1925 at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs, had taken inspo from Jean-Michel Frank's avant-garde designs from the '30s in his Parisian residence and mined for influences from this art movement in some of his many runway collections.
Creative director Anthony Vaccarello contributed to the house's affinity for the '20s for his achingly chic Fall/Winter 2022 show. His muse and starting point? Nancy Cunard, the forward-thinking British activist-publisher who dressed in a distinctively masculine wardrobe that was undoubtedly provocative in the 20th century.
Below, a quick exploration of how that inspiration manifested in the runway offerings at Saint Laurent.
What caught our attention from start to finish were the powerful coats dominating the runway with their strong padded shoulders – seemingly insinuating that bigger is better. Mirroring the '20s paletot coat, these modern-day iterations underscored Vaccarello's strongest suit (no pun intended): tailoring.
Models turned heads in column dresses and slinky slips rendered in delicate silks, mesh and airy fabrics. Elegant and sultry all at once, these exquisite eveningwear options showcase Vaccarello's taste level when it comes to sexiness.
Sculptural jewellery – a hallmark of the Art Deco era – left a loud impression on the Saint Laurent runway. Cue large circular earrings, signet rings and chunky bangles crafted in gorgeous metals of silver, gold, and bronze. Just like Cunard, models donned layered bangles on both arms with their ensembles.
The bombastic faux fur coats that appeared on the coats were designed with master imitation furs and produced by the same craftsmen that have worked with the house.
While the wardrobe was sombre and heavy with a nearly-monochromatic colour palette, crystal-encrusted and buckle stilettoes provided a lighter and glamorous effect.
For that laissez-faire cool, Vacarello stuck with a single design style of black oversized aviator sunglasses which framed the faces of the models.