Saint Laurent presents the SS21 collection "Wish you were here"

A stunning set, distant, free, solitary, ancestral, that seems almost out of time. For the SS21 collection of Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello opted for the North African desert, a place that has always been linked to the Maison. Not far from here, in Algeria, Monsieur Yves was born, while in Morocco, in Marrakech, he built a marvelous villa and took inspiration for many of his revolutionary creations. 

I wanted to focus on the essence of things, but I didn’t want anything bleak or heavy. – Said Vaccarello - The desert, to me, symbolizes that yearn for serenity, open space, a slower rhythm. The clothes are also softer, the spirit of the collection is more gentle, stripped back.

The images of the fashion video shot by Natalie Canguilhem follow the steps of the models who, climbing on very high heels and boots, walk fierce and beautiful through the dunes, accompanied only by the whipping of the wind and the YSL logo embossed on the sand. While Mica Argañaraz and the other tops alternate, the sun slowly turns to night, illuminated only by a line made of flames, it seems to take an aesthetic journey starting from the Swingin' Sixties and arriving to the summer of 2021. 

I wish you were here is not only the name of the collection or a powerful message launched at a time of social distancing, it is a call to freedom, to lightness expressed in soft, sensual silhouettes and warm tones. Yves Saint Laurent's heritage is updated and revisited in a contemporary key by Vaccarello with transparent dresses and blouses that pay homage to the nude look invented by the founder of the brand, new versions of the iconic tuxedo jacket and knitted items. The classic codes of the Maison are all there: from the one-shoulder dress with marabou details to the safari jacket; from the black jumpsuit made sexy by plunging necklines to the blazer worn only with lace culottes and tights; from floral tunics to silk tops; from chiffon dresses to the famous metal bustier that Claude Lalanne shaped on Verushka's body for the 1969 collection. The contemporary twist is in the attitude, in being able to mix make-up and 60s inspirations with biker shorts, which come back all covered with sequins, or vinyl trench coats.

The jewels are also beautiful, necklaces, earrings, bracelets that are reissued versions, sculptural and golden, of Claude Lalanne's designs.