Saint Laurent show casts Anthony Vaccarello’s future in doubt

Anthony Vaccarello’s 10th-anniversary show for Saint Laurent ended with a singer on the runway, a long embrace and a kiss for his young son. The emotional production gave fresh force to speculation that the Belgian designer could soon leave the Paris fashion house, according to WWD.

Vaccarello did not give his customary backstage interview before Tuesday night’s presentation. Instead, journalists received deep purple flowers and a handwritten message explaining that the collection had occupied his thoughts for a long time and was too personal for extensive commentary. He invited the audience to interpret the clothes for themselves.

That restraint shaped the mood of the evening. The show was staged beneath three enormous gold chandeliers, with a black catwalk set against the Eiffel Tower. A nearly full moon, mild weather and a cinematic soundtrack featuring passages from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 added to the sense of romance and finality.

Gold as the collection’s central language

The collection took one of Saint Laurent’s most recognizable approaches: a broad wardrobe was organized around a single visual idea. This time, Vaccarello turned the house’s familiar garments into studies in gold.

Trenchcoats, pencil skirts, safari jackets, daytime suits and evening dresses appeared in fabrics ranging from lamé and organza to guipure lace, chiffon, brocade, jacquard, metallic cotton and latex. The colour was never fixed. Some pieces leaned toward brown or red, while others had the flat, reflective appearance of foil.

The surfaces changed as frequently as the silhouettes. Gold appeared in crumpled, pleated and ruffled forms, giving the clothing movement and variation even when the palette remained tightly controlled. The effect was less a simple display of metallic clothing than an exploration of how light could alter the identity of a familiar Saint Laurent shape.

The setting reinforced that idea. The chandeliers hovered above the models as they crossed the dark runway, while the illuminated Eiffel Tower supplied a monumental Parisian backdrop. Together, the clothes, architecture and lighting created a spectacle steeped in the glamour associated with the house.

After the procession of gold looks, Vaccarello shifted abruptly to black. About a dozen final outfits served as a visual counterpoint, including an 1980s-inspired velvet skirt suit worn by Anja Rubik. Her serious expression gave the closing section a darker, more introspective tone.

A farewell-like finale

The guest list underlined the importance of the occasion. Zoë Kravitz, Rami Malek, Kate Moss, Catherine Deneuve and Hailey Bieber attended, alongside designers Donatella Versace and Pierpaolo Piccioli. Their presence placed Vaccarello’s anniversary within the wider network of fashion, film and celebrity culture surrounding Saint Laurent.

The closing moments were especially personal. As the models reached the end of the show, Charlotte Gainsbourg walked onto the runway and sang in tribute to Vaccarello and the house. The designer embraced her while the audience stood to applaud.

Afterward, the models clapped as Vaccarello moved toward a VIP area. He passed the senior Kering representatives gathered there and went instead to see his five-year-old son, Luca. From his pocket he produced an object resembling a set of keys. The designer’s public-relations team identified it as a good-luck charm. Vaccarello gave it to Luca and kissed him before leaving.

The gesture offered a small domestic moment amid an otherwise highly theatrical production. It also deepened the impression that the show was looking backward as much as forward: celebrating a decade of work while acknowledging that a chapter might be approaching its end.

Vaccarello’s final message in the show notes maintained that ambiguity. It reflected on the way brightness can become more powerful when it is understood to be temporary, and suggested that what departs can leave a lasting glow. WWD presented the line as a possible clue, but the designer did not confirm that he plans to leave Saint Laurent.

For now, the collection stands as a polished display of his command of the house’s archive and its appetite for drama. Its gold wardrobe, grand setting and carefully controlled emotion made the show memorable on its own terms. The unanswered question is whether it was also Vaccarello’s farewell.