Anthony Vaccarello marked his 10th anniversary at Saint Laurent with a Spring 2027 collection that felt unusually personal and reflective.
Before Tuesday night’s show, the designer skipped his customary backstage interviews with fashion journalists. Instead, he sent select members of the press bouquets of deep purple flowers accompanied by a handwritten note explaining that he had been carrying the collection in his mind for a long time and felt the moment was finally right to present it.
Vaccarello described the collection as deeply personal and emotional, asking guests to experience it without too much explanation.
A Show Filled With Emotion
The atmosphere only intensified speculation surrounding Vaccarello’s future at the Paris fashion house, with reports suggesting he could eventually leave after a decade at the helm.
The front row reflected his longstanding connections to the brand, with Zoë Kravitz, Rami Malek, Kate Moss, Catherine Deneuve and Hailey Bieber among the guests. Designers Donatella Versace and Pierpaolo Piccioli were also in attendance.
William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 appeared in fragments throughout the cinematic soundtrack, adding to the romantic mood.
At the finale, Charlotte Gainsbourg walked onto the runway and performed for Vaccarello and Saint Laurent. The designer embraced her as the audience rose for an extended ovation.
Saint Laurent Goes for Gold
The collection centered on a single, unmistakable theme: gold.
Vaccarello revisited some of the most recognizable silhouettes associated with Saint Laurent, transforming trenchcoats, pencil skirts, safari jackets, luncheon suits and cocktail dresses through an expansive range of metallic treatments.
The golden palette appeared in lamé as well as organza, guipure lace, chiffon, brocade, jacquard, metallic cotton and latex. Some pieces carried brown or reddish undertones, while others had a brighter, almost foil-like finish.
Crinkled, pleated and ruffled surfaces added movement and texture to the otherwise highly controlled silhouettes.
The runway itself amplified the drama. Models walked beneath three enormous gold chandeliers suspended above a black catwalk, with the Eiffel Tower glowing in the distance.
A Black Finale
After the succession of gold looks, Vaccarello shifted dramatically into black for the final dozen outfits.
Anja Rubik closed the sequence in an ’80s-inspired velvet skirt suit, bringing a darker, more restrained note to the collection.
Following the finale, Vaccarello walked toward the VIP section and greeted his young son, Luca. He handed him what appeared to be a set of keys, which the designer’s public-relations team identified as a good-luck charm, before kissing him.
Vaccarello then left the venue, leaving behind a line from the show notes that captured the collection’s reflective mood: “A light shines all the more brightly because we know it cannot be held.”
The sentiment gave the evening an unmistakably poignant conclusion, while leaving the meaning of the collection—and perhaps Vaccarello’s next chapter—open to interpretation.
