Saint Laurent Menswear F/W 2022.23 Paris

Frederic01

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Preview of the Autumn Winter Menswear collection.

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YSL.COM/
 
The models are making the most, trying to lift such a boring collection.

It's so boring, you're so right! Every season it gets worse and worse.

I don't understand how Saint Laurent / Kering wants to reach 5 billion euros in annual revenue and they can't even be bothered to stage a proper mens runway collection in Paris during fashion week? Is it because they just don't have any interesting ideas worth presenting or is it because they don't want to spend the money?

Either way, it's pretty disappointing. Even random and small brands like Marine Serre and Maison Mihara Yasuhiro staged shows at Paris Fashion week. Two shows a year is the bare minimum I think, no?

I digress. YSL Menswear is shockingly mundane and uninspired under Vaccarello. Most of this looks like it was put together using random Hedi Slimane pieces from previous collections. There is no point of view, no direction. And this is coming from the mind of an Artistic Director that travels the world frequently, has unlimited access to arts and culture all around the globe, is paid millions of euros, and lives in absolute comfort and luxury in Paris. What possible excuse could he have for presenting such a sub-par collection? It's embarrassing really.
 
^^^They’re doing a show in Marrakech next month. However that said I still find it useless. Anthony’s menswear has been on auto pilot and yes there is no vision or anything inspiring about it. I won’t be surprised if it’s purely a studio creation. As his woman evolves I hope that his menswear doesn’t get left behind too.
 
^^^ The men's sells on brand recognition. And that's likely profitable enough for Kering to keep it on this Hedi-wannabe trajectory without ever making an effort to risk developing its own identity.

All the money, opportunities, access to art, travel, culture means little when the raw, creative talent is simply not there. And he is of very limited talent.

Solid set design and photography (tho a tad too heavy on the retouching for my tolerance). And I have no doubt that if there’s an accompanying video, it will be impressive. But Anthony’s design talent is clearly very limited— with what is passable for his women's, just looks like he dressed his boys in the women’s basics for his men's. His attempts at keeping up to Hedi is a tad painful to witness: He lacks the finesse, confidence, vision and defiance of Hedi. Where Hedi’s Celine men’s has an androgynous swagger, Anthony’s men just resembles boys in their mother’s clothes. His men’s will always be a follower.
 
He lacks the finesse, confidence, vision and defiance of Hedi. Where Hedi’s Celine men’s has an androgynous swagger, Anthony’s men just resembles boys in their mother’s clothes. His men’s will always be a follower.

100% Agree!!
 
Again, very much Hedi's work from like 8-10 years ago but without the grit, I think true fans of Hedi's YSL have moved on to Celine. Hedi's menswear is more evolved because it is more louche and romantic. Vaccarello will always be a poor man's Hedi.
 
Again, very much Hedi's work from like 8-10 years ago but without the grit, I think true fans of Hedi's YSL have moved on to Celine. Hedi's menswear is more evolved because it is more louche and romantic. Vaccarello will always be a poor man's Hedi.

I don't even think it's true to Vaccarello's design to be honest. I picture his menswear being more masculine, sexy and along the lines of Tom Ford or Pilati's YSL than following Hedi. I think he would be more successful or maybe those are just my own wishes and biases.

I'm not even a huge Hedi fan and I'm tempted to buy into his Celine menswear than I am AV's YSL.
 
Before being a great menswear designer, Hedi is above all a great stylist. There’s something effortless in his experimentations. I think about a YSL collection where he styled a red patent pants with a marinière and a blazer. It’s bold, accessible and has that androgynous vibe because it looked believable on a model or rockstar but can be totally OK for a woman.

Here the presentation is quite slick but the proposition feels gimmicky. The YSL man would never wear literal heels and be covered in latex. There’s a lack a subtlety.

@Phuel said it perfectly: YSL sells on brand recognition or when men wants to buy the permanent collection established by Hedi (classic coat, boots or sneakers).
 
It just feels forced. More specifically, I see this as an exercise in attempting to depict a forced view of contemporary masculinity through conflicting themes.

The fabric selection is beautiful, and as always I personally love the footwear, but it is too much to digest all in one sitting. For example, why place a Playboy Bunny knit next to such a chic faux fur coat, why offer such voluminious sleeves alongside such a tightly cut leather trench? Oversized over here, too tight over there with no medium. I understand the need and desire for range, yet the themes appear so far apart when analyzed closely it loses its coherency. The word I keep landing on is conflict, rather than continuity. AV- make up your mind.

And for that reason, I am out :)
 
It's probably the most interesting and the most Yves Saint Laurent menswear collection of Vaccarello's tenure at the house. Although that's not really saying anything at all.

Those wide, kimono sleeves and power shoulders---adapted and enlarged from classic YSL women's silhouettes---are actually kind of cool and vaguely remind me of Yves's personal style during the '70s. The nods to non-binary dressing/David Bowie are both very YSL (albeit not my cup of tee).

Definitely echoes Slimane's recent updates at Celine. Monkey see, monkey do.

Besides a few banal pieces here and there, I think it's the styling and art direction that kills it for me. Very cheesy, "faah-schun" photography. Like a bad Zara campaign.
 
It’s not bad per se, but many items look like they were simply taken from the women’s and put on boys. It’s not bringing anything new.

Although I don’t enjoy their design, I find the shoes shots very striking. It also makes me think of Hedi’s product-focused shots for Celine though.
 
the SL man is… a woman! I like the sleekness of it all and there are great shots but it does look like one of those good look books from Zara.
 

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