PFW AW20: Saint Laurent

rubinasarte Ağustos 08, 2021

Saint Laurent - A Vision in Latex

Paris Fashion Week may be the final week of Fashion Month so fatigue has definitely settled in but it doesn't stop everyone from coming to Paris for it and it seems like the Saint Laurent runway was the place to be. The frow had a very eclectic mix of stars with Lenny and Zoe Kravtiz sat next to Kit Harrington who was then sat next to Hailey Bieber. On a side note, Hailey Bieber looked amazing in her outfit.

The runway usually has a backdrop of the Eiffel Tower but this season they traded it in for a more plain background which allowed the clothes to do all the talking.

Picture from Vogue

Autumn/Winter 2020

As always Saint Laurent embodied an incredibly sexy vibe with a mix of masculine elements. I can only assume that Saint Laurent have claimed the remainder of latex left in the world for this collection as there is so much of it. It is used for leggings, boots, skirts and dresses. The latex builds on the typically sexy look that Saint Laurent exudes. There is something so rock and roll about Saint Laurent every season.

Picture from Vogue

Throughout the runway there are these hyper feminine elements like the pussybow details and the cinched in waist. However the boxy fit of the jackets and the strong shoulders feel a little bit more masculine. There is this constant dichotomy between typically male and female clothing attributes. This adds a constant strength to the looks.

This strength within the details is also reflected in the colour scheme. Where colour is used, and there is quite a lot of colour on this runway, it is always paired with black which reigns it in a little bit. I love this style of dressing and I think it is such a powerful look. Other than black, there is a lot of magenta purple. I really loved the houndstooth jacket with a pop of yellow underneath and the black latex leggings. I am not usually a fan of yellow, in fact I normally hate it but being worn this way is something I support.

Picture from Vogue

In general the outfits remained quite similar in structure with bigger shoulders and a slimmer look around the legs, whether it was a skirt or leggings. However there were elements of patterning and mostly these patterns were houndstooth and check. I feel like I have spoken about these prints so much this season so I definitely know what I need to add to my wardrobe.

As well as some of the patterns you also have all of the textures within the outfits. Latex adds a very high shine, smooth look but it is paired with check and houndstooth which are slightly rougher looking. Then you have fur jackets which add so much volume and completely change the look so it is slightly less sexy. I love a fur jacket and I love their inclusion on this runway.

Picture from Vogue

For the most part Saint Laurent seem to have reigned in the large branding and instead, it occasionally features on some of the belts, however this has not made them go easy on the accessories. This season the accessories are chunky with a lot of the models wearing large chains around their necks with a longer end draping down. There were a lot of big necklaces, large earrings and scarves which adorned the models this season.

Picture from Vogue

This season there is something quite dominatrix about elements of the runway, I have already spoken about the skin tight latex leggings but the end of the runway brought up even more of these details. The outfit in the picture above has this whole latex look with a lace corset bustier. This feels very revealing when you look at it and this is emphasised by the boning and structure of the top. The red belt just pushes it over the edge. Looking at it, I feel like this is something someone like Miley Cyrus would dare to wear.

When I saw the full latex dress with a flared midi skirt, it instantly reminded me of Detox from Ru Pauls' Drag Race. I think it was the first look she wore for the series and it had the same silhouette but it was yellow and black striped. I do not think Saint Laurent will have taken inspo from Ru Paul's Drag Race but you can definitely see the similarities.

Picture from Vogue

Based on This Runway, What Should You Add to Your A/W Runway?

Check and Houndstooth - Similar to basically every collection this season check and houndstooth were also on the Saint Laurent runway. The check this time was slightly finer and it was in a burgundy red which was beautiful. There is definitely a lot of check to chose from this month.

Latex Everything - Latex is a bloody bold look but Saint Laurent wants you to go for it. I'm not sure how brave I feel in terms of this look so maybe looking for a leather might be a slightly softer and easier way of emulating this collection.

Structured Jackets - Some of the blazers remind me of the Balmain ones which are still incredibly popular. The Saint Laurent ones are also double breasted and have strong shoulders with pads in them. I think the red check jacket in the first picture of this post is my absolute favourite.

If you want to see more of the Saint Laurent runway, here is a link to the full collection on Vogue: Saint Laurent Autumn/Winter 2020 Ready-to-Wear Collection

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