Saint Laurent Winter 2023 Studies the Silhouettes of Power
Crafting a womenswear wardrobe informed by masculine themes.
Anthony Vaccarello‘s Saint Laurent runway shows are a spectacle of opulence, distilling the classic elegance of Yves Saint Laurent’s legacy. Looks are polished to the nth degree, cut with proportions that perfectly accentuate and exaggerate one’s body, and ultimately come together to paint a picture of chic timelessness. Last night, this all came together in Saint Laurent’s Winter 2023 womenswear runway show, held in a venue inspired by a ballroom at the Intercontinental Hotel where the House showed its Haute Couture collections between 1975 and 2001.
Like the clothes, the setting contrasted the old with the new. An art deco-inspired runway, oddly shaped and lined in a shimmering gold carpet, worked alongside bronze chandeliers and the conflicting contemporary backdrop of gloss black box walls, creating a space for Vaccarello to draw the focus onto his clothing.
From the first look, it’s hard to glance away at what might have been the designer’s most delicious womenswear collection to date. It updates House codes from the past — such as the business suit comprising a blazer and A-line dresses — with sharp angles and an underpinning of femininity throughout, simultaneously welcoming additions of newness.
Saint Laurent Winter 2023 is a masterclass in understanding silhouettes. Those aforementioned suit jackets darted left and right on the shoulder with sharp address, while pencil skirts and mini skirts elongated the body with the help of pinstripes drawing the eye up. Slim belts, buckled in gold and wrapped in leather, echoed the formal undertones, while leather gloves and stiletto slingback pumps enabled these looks to work in both business settings and nights out — the embodiment of Yves Saint Laurent’s boss woman.
Boyfriend biker jackets were cut wide and long for you to wrap up warm in, while those looking for extra comfort and luxury have the choice of various shawls. From tartan to Houndstooth, leather to tweed, the shawls added off-duty chic finesse to cropped biker jackets, pant suits and more, all fastening on the shoulder with a luxurious gold orb that the fabric bundled through.
Tank tops were sharp and tailored, appearing as yet another example of how Vaccarello takes masculine themes and transforms them for a feminine wardrobe. And to complete the aesthetic, the use of sheer fabrics and opaque fabrics, barely-there stockings, tight chiffon or loose crepe-de-chine came together to show how “the Saint Laurent woman exposes her body when she desires and conceals it if she feels like it.”
Take a look at the Winter 2023 womenswear collection from Saint Laurent in the gallery above and stay tuned to Hypebeast for more Paris Fashion Week FW23 content over the coming days.
Elsewhere, Vaquera returned to its subversive roots for FW23.
