Show review in a sentence: Anthony Vaccarello returns Saint Laurent to its foundations, proving the power of repetition.
Designer: Anthony Vaccarello
Location: Fontaine de Varsovie
We’ve become so resistant to the idea of repetition. That’s what Anthony Vaccarello reminds us at Saint Laurent this season. Taking it back to the foundations, the house’s fall/winter 2026 collection returned to the essentials of a French maison that has spent decades refining its stride. Blink twice and you might have missed the first few looks—variations of black single- and double-breasted suits—defined by sharp shapes, assured tailoring and, of course, Le Smoking, the tuxedo Yves Saint Laurent introduced in 1966 that redefined eveningwear for women and remains one of the house’s most enduring emblems.
But this restraint is exactly what made the collection feel so quietly exciting. In between the quintessential Saint Laurent uniform were moments of surprise: sheer lace coated in silicone that caught the light with a slick, almost naked sheen, and then the opposite with large shearling coats, belted and shaped at the waist and hip. Colour appeared sparingly: teal, terracotta, deep brown and blue breaking through the sea of black.
Personally, this is one of my favourite Saint Laurent collections because it plays with the idea of exposure and restraint in subtle ways. On one hand, there is the bareness of returning to foundations, the discipline of repetition. On the other, the sensual tension between sheerness and coverage, softness and structure.
And if this collection inspires you to do anything at all, perhaps it’s time to add that classic Le Smoking to your wardrobe, a timeless piece that proves some ideas never really need reinventing. Sometimes the most radical move in fashion is simply to perfect what already works.
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