Capping the Paris fashion season, Saint Laurent touts the art of powerful shoulders

Associated Press

11-03-2025

PARIS (AP) — Saint Laurent closed Paris Fashion Week in dramatic fashion Tuesday night, with the Eiffel Tower glowing against the night sky and a vast black onyx stage polished to a mirror-like sheen.
Designer Anthony Vaccarello 's fall collection refined the house's codes into pure, striking silhouettes — where sharp tailoring and commanding shoulders set the tone. Models moved with quiet authority across the onyx stage, their looks defined by bold proportions, rich textures, and a stripped-back sense of power.
'Chanel gave women freedom. Yves Saint Laurent gave them power.' The famous words of Saint Laurent's partner Pierre Bergé, echoed in every cut and contour. Vaccarello's vision was one of strength without excess—structured blazers worn as dresses, crisp pencil skirts, and bomber jackets exuding effortless cool. These weren't clothes that followed trends; they commanded attention.
Front row
A show of this magnitude attracted an equally formidable audience. Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, Kid Cudi, and Charli XCX took their seats as the runway came to life. The most anticipated moment of the night arrived with Bella Hadid, making her singular catwalk appearance of the season. Her presence ignited social media, reaffirming Saint Laurent's cultural dominance.
The shoulder first silhouette
Vaccarello has always understood the language of power dressing, and this season was no exception. Shoulder lines were bold and deliberate, defining the collection's structured blazers, high-collared frocks, and sleek outerwear.
Models cut through the dimly lit stage in rich, saturated hues — tangerine, fuchsia, and deep grass green — bringing depth to an otherwise restrained aesthetic. Experimental fabrics elevated the collection: silicone-coated floral and animal prints, stretch materials paired with guipure lace, and distressed couture textiles. The closing looks, with voluminous skirts and sculptural hip inserts, added a hypnotic, fluid movement to the show.
Precision, power and proportions
Saint Laurent has always walked the line between masculine and feminine, and Vaccarello honed in on that tension with precise tailoring and calculated volume. Jackets skimmed the body like armor, while floor-length skirts billowed with an air of controlled drama. Leather jackets thrown over structured gowns toughened up the elegance, a reminder that power dressing doesn't mean compromise, it means control.
Onyx, iron
The setting was as much a statement as the clothes themselves. The show unfolded on a vast, gleaming onyx oval, a deliberate contrast of strength and sophistication. Digital walls, veined with earthy browns and blacks, pulsed with movement, reinforcing the collection's depth. Under the Eiffel Tower's steel framework, the scene felt monumental, like a closing act to fashion's biggest stage.
The talk of the night: Linda, lace and luxury
Linda Evangelista's arrival in a Saint Laurent business-meets-mobster suit was a moment in itself — a reminder of the brand's enduring appeal across generations. Meanwhile, industry insiders buzzed about the closing gowns, their sheer volume paired with toughened-up leather and chunky rock crystal jewelry, a nod to Yves Saint Laurent's lucky stone.
What the designer says
'Instead of speaking through ornament or padding, fabrics and precise construction shape the garments,' read the show notes. 'Pure forms and volumes are derived from construction and cut.'