The tubular sheath worn by the iconic Martha Graham for her 1930 choreography Lamentation – enveloping the body from head to toe– profoundly impacted visual culture and fashion, extending beyond dance.
Several collections by Yves Saint Laurent demonstrate this - from the hooded, diaphanous chiffon dresses he designed in 1969 in collaboration with Claude Lalanne to the indelible modernity of Spring Summer Haute Couture 1985, where a prolongation of fabric over the model's head gave several looks a casual feel.
The theme was repeated even in the house founder's last show, fall winter Haute Couture 2002. These precedents – especially Yves' hooded 'capuche' pieces from the mid-80s, which established an iconic key motif for the brand – served as a pivotal point of reference for Anthony Vaccarello as he set out to combine, for Summer 2023, an essential attitude with the ultra-refined, elongated silhouette presented last season. Vaccarello's signature fluidity defines the collection, which is captured through silk jersey knits, and flowing floor-length dresses that evoke elegance, balanced with masculine outerwear, quintessentially Saint Laurent by Vaccarello.
Wool coats with pronounced shoulders as well as leather bombers and trenches, sumptuously muted colours pay homage to signature Saint Laurent moments, while legs are bare yet concealed by a relentlessly columnar silhouette. A sense of sophisticated effortlessness runs through the collection, exemplified by sheer tank dresses, cashmere pants, and pyjama-inspired satin dresses accented by gold and wood jewellery.
A sublime backdrop for Vaccarello's evolving vision, the set was an essence of Paris, distilled and exaggerated to a dramatic scale: the terraces, fountains, and views of the iridescent city.
Anthony Vaccarello, Creative Director at SAINT LAURENT, draws inspiration from Martha Graham's 1930 choreography Lamentation, a tribute to the late Yves Saint Laurent.