How to do the party season, straight from fashion’s party-starter label – Saint Laurent

“Saint Laurent is as much about attitude as it is a spectacle,” said the French label’s creative director, Anthony Vaccarello ahead of his spring/summer 2020 collection and show. A show that took place beneath the shadow of Paris’ landmark Eiffel Tower where both above mentioned pre-requisites were met. The rock and roll attitude? Check. A wowed audience and a pleased Yves Saint Laurent looking from somewhere above? Check.

As we get into peak party season, take a lesson or two from the Saint Laurent book of style. The only ingredients required for a good night — drama, nostalgia, and a heavy dose of shine.

Tasked with surviving several soirées, from Christmas and New Year’s Eve to cocktail hour and wedding receptions, we give you commandments to ace party-season style with a little help from Saint Laurent’s Spring/Summer 2020 show.

Thou shalt not shy away from drama:

There is no denying that Saint Laurent has an affinity for drama, and the show made sure that there was nothing short of it. With rain lashing down on the runway minutes before the show, to the strobe lights dotting the runway giving it a Bellagio-esque vibe or the twinkling lights of the Eiffel tower looming in the background, the scale of drama set to high to match the high octane show that followed.

Bring on the bold and the beautiful:

The label under the aegis of Anthony Vaccarello, now 4 Spring/Summer seasons old ensured the clothes were feminine with a dash of risqué. There were plenty of itsy bitsy shorts, diaphanous chiffon blouses and dipping necklines. This is not new territory for Vaccarello who has created a niche for himself for creating looks that are dainty yet sultry and he didn’t disappoint this time around. Think leopard print jumpsuits with tasteful cuts, ruffled bloused paired with shorts and bare shoulder dresses, perfect for showing your holiday tan.

Looking back is one way to go forward:

On joining the French fashion house in 2016, Vaccarello told US Vogue that a modern YSL girl is one who has a lot of respect for the past, but she’s not dressing like she’s stuck in the past, she’s dressed for the now. And the now means that the Le Smoking only gets hotter. Closing the show were 37 iterations of the iconic tuxedo by Yves Saint Laurent that was first introduced to the fashion fraternity in 1966, paving the way for androgynous power-dressing. The new Le Smoking comes in sequin-speckled, in lush leather, cropped, oversized, cut close to body — take your pick, really!

Add grunge with boots that were made for walking:

Strutting the catwalk were thigh-high boots, classic jet black ones, Midwestern ones, dotty leopard print ones and even a plush velvet emerald green one proving only one thing. That boots are now considered acceptable footwear come rain or shine, and no longer relegated to sub-zero temperatures.

As someone rightly said — a little party never killed nobody:

So amp up the shine. Sequins are back and no one is more vociferous about a heavy-handed use of sparkle as Anthony Vaccarello. The collection featured sequins in all permutations and combinations — from size inclusive, to personality focused — OTT and head-to-toe on pantsuits, why not! Inserted as gold applique on skirts, yes please!