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Let’s head over to the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin where Anthony Vaccarello unveiled his Spring/Summer 2024 menswear collection for Saint Laurent.
“The last two years, I haven’t looked at the archive. I like the idea of evoking Yves Saint Laurent without referring to a certain piece. It’s more of an evocation,” explained Anthony Vaccarello at the Fall/Winter 2023-2024 show. He has developed this idea his new menswear collection presented at the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, a modernist masterpiece topped with a steel roof, constructed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1968. Against the backdrop of the setting sun, the designer kickstarted Mens Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2024 with panache–and with a show presented outside of the official calendar.
Saint Laurent revolutionizes menswear
Anthony Vaccarello imagined this new Saint Laurent as a continuation of the womenswear collection presented last season under a giant chandelier in Paris. As such, several elements we’ve seen before made their way back to the runway. Look no further than the meticulous, sharp tailoring counterbalanced by fluid volumes and silhouettes that blur the lines between masculinity and femininity.
Show off those shoulders!
At Saint Laurent this season, it was about playing with textures and shoulders. Tuxedo jackets took on impressive dimensions and were teamed with sheer chiffon shirts (floating over the models’ skin), while polka dot patterns and leather print added just the right dose of modernity to classic pieces. A satin tank top, gracefully draped tops, and sarongs tied around the neck all marvelously subverted traditions. We bet that showing off your shoulders with be a must this summer! Pants, meanwhile, were worn mostly high-waisted, either straight-legged or radically cinched.
Guests including Charlotte Gainsbourg, Iris Law and Anja Rubik quickly turned their attention to the models’ shoes as their wearers walked the runway with aplomb. Patent leather ankle boots with small heels, quintessential of the Saint Laurent style, brought together the whole collection perfectly. Other daring little details made their debut on the catwalk, the best example being the bow tie, appearing here in white instead of black, far from typical conventions and traditions. With his Spring/Summer 2024 menswear show, Anthony Vaccarello brought us a new version of the Saint Laurent man who is fresh, elegant, intrepid and in tune with the times. Bring it on!
Translated by Jack Pownall.
This article was originally published on Vogue France.
