Saint Laurent prefall 2020 – New York

 (Images from Vogue.com and wwd.com and the public domain. All rights. Used in promotion of the designer.)

Anthony Vaccarello, since taking the reigns as creative direction for Saint Laurent, he has blitzed with his collections of the last seasons. Maintaining the skill and exclusive craftsmanship for Saint Laurent, Vaccarello keeps in lockstep with his idealistic styles, rather than the outlandish of overly extravagant - he has sourced from Yves Saint Laurent's backlog of masterful creativity. Infusing concepts and sentiment from unlikely places, such as Laurent's 1970s travelings to Russia, inspired by cossack/gypsy styles which to this day remain as the most interesting crossover into modern or Western aesthetics of the last four decades. 

Varcarello particularly in light of Saint Laurent's vision, has not strayed too far, as mentioned, from delineating an original concept to the brands iconic fixture. The fusing of Rive Gauche with 70's, 80's and even 90's as inverted concepts of redefining aesthetics, sets in place the androgyny as he transverses it firmly in place towards the feminine, to which there is a 1920s Weimar influence of sex and hedonism portrayed.  But with his Pre Fall 2020 collection resonates an snapshot of an era, that although holds a romanticism, it has been played out countless times throughout the 90's and now the 21st century which is the late 1970s New York CBGB's punk rock period of 76' through to 80' post influence to English punk subculture styles, which cleverly, although not by design, instilled a counter influence towards the American punk/hardcore scene prior to the mid 1980s. And this, is where Varcarello for his 2020 collection slightly falters. 

Yes, as noted in prior seasonal showings, Varcarello has risen the hems of skirts, recreating the sex appeal of the cocktail/evening dress and seductive pose. Which was refreshing to see, as he and Celine's Hedi Slimane begin to reset back into the mentioned fashion styles moving away from trying to assign a unisex and/or backlash array such as the past collections.  Without delving into sociological realms, the markets have dictated the terms and the money flows are where these mega brands want to be positioned.  Hence a rejuvenation of indulgence of the 1980s supermodel esque desires have begun in earnest. However, Varcarello's prefall collection has misfired in an attempt at resurfacing the late 70's glamorization of the 'Chelsea Hotel' punk back story – I find it hard to admire or even feel a connection too a period in history that, when all said and done, despite the aesthetic romanticism of UK and New York punk styles of 43 years ago.  It was a period in time that was fraught with drug overdoes, failed attempts at fame and the wreckages of ambition.  The glamor and appeal was actually infused with the scourge of heroin that effected so many. For me this resonates as a somber and dark spectra over this collection.