Anthony Vaccarello created an artful fusion of simplicity and opulence in garments characterized by voluminous silhouettes and overly saturated colors.
Saint Laurent serves a masterclass on bold minimalism for Winter 2025. Known for its expertise in combining the seductive with the authentic, the French luxury fashion house once again unleashed a collection that is bold and confident, all while maintaining the label’s signature style defined by elegance, sophistication, and a play on grunge minimalism.
For this season, creative director Anthony Vaccarello looked back on Yves Saint Laurent’s ‘90s haute couture to form a new capsule where simplicity meets opulence. It is in line with the esteemed fashion designer’s unique flair for grunge minimalism, combining raw and rebellious aesthetic with the functionality of minimalist design.
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Vaccarello achieved this by opting for sharp silhouettes and striking choice of colors rather than over-the-top embellishments. “Instead of speaking through ornament or padding, fabrics and precise construction shape the garment,” the show notes read. “Pure forms and volumes are derived from construction and cut.”
Every part of the Saint Laurent Winter 2025 show speaks of the art of bold minimalism. It was held in an onyx oval beneath the iconic Eiffel Tower after nightfall. Guests settled down on leather seats as they watched models sashay down the runway, which was surrounded by digital walls splashed with brown-hued marble. All of which mirrored the collection’s bold and elegant aesthetic.
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Vaccarello delivered a collection where volume, quality fabrics, and high-quality craftmanship took center stage. The opening look was a striking orange dress with broad shoulders, wide sleeves, and a collar that rose to the jawline. Other models sashayed down the runway in similar strong-shouldered silhouettes in fuschia, teal, or yellow.
The collection continued its lesson on the maximization of minimalism in dresses embellished with big draping ribbons and high collars. Completing the look are pointed stilettos that echo the capsule’s concept of impactful simplicity.
Vaccarello played with texture by reimagining the house’s well-known animal and floral prints with a new material: silicone. The plastic-like pieces were played with classic pencil skirts and oversized sunglasses. Leather bomber jackets with voluminous shoulders, as well as couture textiles with distressed effect, added a rebellious vibe to the collection. Laces, meanwhile, brought softness in the form of turtleneck tops, pencil skirts, and long-sleeve dresses.
To bring more life to these shapes and textures, Saint Laurent soaked them in overly saturated versions of its iconic hues. Garments came in striking tangerine, luminous chartreuse, shining ruby red, elegant emerald, and many other vibrant colors that would make a statement in the cold seasons.
The closing looks were a fitting finale to Saint Laurent’s collection, which played striking simplicity quite well, with a collection of gowns with wide ballroom skirts taking on the catwalk. These floor-to-length voluminous skirts were paired with lacy bustier tops and leather jackets, creating a rocker-chic vibe. The jaw-dropping ensembles, elegant in rich shades of brown and olive, perfectly encapsulate the artful unison of YSL and Vaccarello.
Watch the full Saint Laurent Winter 2025 show here.
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