The Saint Laurent Spring/Summer 2026 collection, revealed at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, did not simply showcase clothes. It presented an identity — sharpened and charged with history – for women who see fashion as a form of empowerment. Since 2016, Anthony Vaccarello has led the house, and he used his thirtieth show to reaffirm the essence of Yves Saint Laurent while stretching its codes toward the future.
The dusk setting made the event instantly cinematic. Guests followed a white hydrangea-lined path, only to discover through drone images that the flowers spelled out the YSL logo. Under the glowing Paris sky, models strode forward with conviction, demonstrating that Saint Laurent remains true to its roots while exploring new territory.
Leather commanded attention from the outset. Vaccarello drew from the toughness of biker culture, reworking it into fitted pencil skirts, sharp-shouldered jackets, and corsets that hinted at provocation without losing refinement. He cited Robert Mapplethorpe as an inspiration, and this influence was evident in the unapologetic edge of these pieces.
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Soon after, softness entered. Billowing nylon gowns shifted the mood but never diluted the women wearing them. Ruffles, puffed sleeves, and full skirts evoked the elegance of the Belle Époque. Despite their grandeur, Vaccarello made them practical. He noted that these gowns could be folded and packed like windbreakers—a detail modern women won’t overlook.
The collection also touched on the house’s heritage through revisits of trench coats and safari dresses, two staples of Saint Laurent’s style. Here, they were made of translucent fabrics that clung to the body, concealing and revealing in equal measure. The effect was deliberately charged—a play on exposure at a time when questions of modesty dominate public debate.
Vaccarello referenced Françoise Giroud’s words, in which she described the Saint Laurent woman as louche by day and a countess by night. That spirit resurfaced throughout the show. The women appeared aristocratic yet subversive. They were powerful figures, unafraid to command attention through provocative tailoring or flowing, historical gowns.
Front-row icons such as Catherine Deneuve, Betty Catroux, and Madonna reinforced the legacy’s significance. Their presence linked the past to the present, reminding the audience of Saint Laurent’s role as chronicler and provocateur of female style since the 1960s. For Vaccarello, consulting the archives has become less about nostalgia and more about unlocking future possibilities. His exploration of costumes designed for the legendary 1971 Rothschild Proust Ball underscored that point.
The collection also drew inspiration from cinema. The creative director cited “Queen Margot,” a French film with strong historical imagery, as one of his references. This explains the sense of drama woven through the final gowns, which moved with theatrical volume while revealing glimpses of the body.
Throughout the show, the Saint Laurent woman of Spring/Summer 2026 was not reduced to one image. She was tough, sensual, historical, and modern. Vaccarello showed that the archive is inexhaustible and can generate new chapters while maintaining coherence. His words backstage echoed this idea: there is still much to say at this house.