There was one big thing that united Saint Laurent’s winter 2025 collection: huge, powerful shoulders. Models paraded around the perimeter of a large oval onyx floor wearing every single version of the massive shoulder. They appeared on ’80s power-suit-style dresses in vibrant colors, oversized outerwear, and even supple leather jackets.
Creative director Anthony Vaccarello was thinking about strong silhouettes when it came down to inspiration for the work. “Instead of speaking through ornament or padding, fabrics and precise construction shape the garments,” the show notes stated. “Pure forms and volumes are derived from construction and cut.” To pump up those shapes even more, Saint Laurent dipped into super-saturated versions of its iconic hues. Think: a tangerine jacket with a plum belt or a different version of the same piece in deep fuchsia. A grass-green minidress with hulking shoulders had a bejeweled collar (and pockets!), styled with black leather gloves. Minimalist dressing, this was not.
Aside from the ’80s-inspired forms and frames, Vaccarello experimented with statement-making fabrics. Animal- and floral-print frocks were coated in silicone. Guipure lace in shades of burnt sienna and navy blue was used for dresses, like the one Bella Hadid wore down the runway. Adding a subversive edge, sporty panels of casual fabric were added here and there for contrast. Hadid walking the show felt like a major moment for fans, given it was the one and only runway she walked all season. But Saint Laurent’s front row also had its own major model moment: Linda Evangelista arrived in one of the brand’s business-meets-mobster suits. Saint Laurent typically has its show at the beginning of Paris Fashion Week, but opted to close out the season as the last of the official schedule—making these sightings feel like a celebratory jolt at the end of a marathon month.
Many of the looks incorporated sunglasses and chunky jewelry. A focus was put on rock crystal, which Yves Saint Laurent held dear as a lucky stone. To close the show, a selection of gowns with huge ballroom-style skirts bounced down the catwalk. Floor-length high-volume skirts on a ready-to-wear runway is rare—and even rarer to exist without a Disney princess vibe. But with lacy bustier tops or big sweaters and casual rocker-chic leather jackets thrown over them, they were the ultimate fusion of the old YSL and the Vaccarello era. Structural bows dripped off the waists of the skirts, while models kept their hands firmly in the XL cargo pockets of their jackets.
If strong shapes were the goal, mission accomplished. These clothes make a powerful impression from across a crowded room. But beyond that, they take up physical space and are uncompromising, something that feels important in this day and age of dressing up as a woman.
