Saint Laurent Fall/Winter 2017 represented Anthony Vaccarello's sophomore collection for the house and his inaugural menswear runway debut, presented dramatically in the rain-soaked courtyard of the brand's under-construction Paris headquarters.
The collection centered on a predominantly black color palette with strategic injections of cognac suede and anthracite grey, emphasizing texture and tactility through varied fabrications. Standout outerwear included glossy black shearling jackets, snakeskin-lined blazers, and reinterpreted Saharienne jackets in black leather, while frayed knitwear and mohair turtlenecks provided softer counterpoints to the collection's harder-edged pieces. Military-inspired crossover belted trousers in black gabardine appeared alongside fitted motorcycle jackets in slimmed silhouettes, and casual luxury emerged through pieces like the black wool crewneck sweater marked with "S.L Love" patches and relaxed jean jackets in cognac suede.
The collection's strength lay in Vaccarello's ability to balance utilitarian references with refined tailoring, creating garments that could shift effortlessly between dressed-up formality and nonchalant ease. Slouchy patent leather boots became a defining accessory, worn throughout the lineup to ground both polished suiting and laid-back denim combinations. The designer drew inspiration from Yves Saint Laurent's subversive approach to clothing, translating the founder's dark romanticism into contemporary pieces that embraced both classic French styling and minimal luxury codes.
