“Less dark, more light, more sensual — more fun.” That’s how Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello summed up his Spring/Summer 2026 menswear collection—and the mood shift was impossible to ignore.
For the first time in recent memory, a Saint Laurent show unfolded before dark, set against a glowing Tuesday afternoon in Paris. The venue: the rotunda of the Bourse de Commerce art museum, where sunlight filtered through and guests were treated to a serene installation by French artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot—a basin of pool-blue water scattered with drifting white ceramic bowls that gently pinged as they touched.
It was a peaceful overture to a collection that leaned far more into sensual ease and vibrant color than the brand’s recent outings.
Between Paris and Fire Island, in 1970-Something
Vaccarello’s runway muse this season floated somewhere between Parisian elegance and Fire Island nostalgia, offering a suspended moment of summer fantasy. Gone were the brooding leather thigh-highs from Fall 2025. Instead, legs were out, shoulders were sharp, and silhouettes were breezy.
Tapered, pleated trousers and jaunty shorts—often styled with hands jammed in pockets—marched alongside oversized acrylic sunglasses, reminiscent of Johnny Depp in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Shirts took center stage, constructed in fluid silks, sheer technical nylons in lemon and persimmon, or tailored with jutting ‘80s-style shoulders, achieved via extra-long removable stays. One standout shirt even mimicked an anorak, tucked and belted with precision.
A Study in Color and Contrast
While the installation at the venue hinted at soft serenity, the palette of the collection had bite. Vaccarello reprised his now-signature ocher-khaki pairing, pulled mint into navy, and fused in unexpected autumnal tones—bordeaux, forest green, and gold. References included Larry Stanton’s color-rich portraits, giving the hues a painterly, expressive edge.
The tailoring followed the same fluid narrative—blazers with soft structure, trousers with movement, and the ever-present silk necktie, tucked nonchalantly between buttons three and four. “It’s a simple gesture, but it gives another perspective of the silhouette,” Vaccarello noted. “It’s less strict, less in an office.”
Legacy with a Twist
Perhaps the most tender moment came not from the clothes, but from a tucked-in program insert: a black-and-white photo of Yves Saint Laurent on a tennis court circa 1950, his legs long and boyish beneath a pair of shorts much like the ones seen on the runway. It was a subtle reminder that even as Vaccarello steers the brand into modernity, the spirit of YSL—the man and the myth—still lingers.
Conclusion: A Fresh Saint Laurent Era?
With Saint Laurent SS26, Vaccarello offers a sunlit detour from his darker tendencies. There’s still structure, edge, and sexuality—but now with more light, air, and wit. And yes, we’ll gladly take an early call time if it means more moments like this.
