Hoods and high necks meet soft masculinity at Saint Laurent’s fall/winter ’23 menswear runway

SAINT LAURENT’S menswear and womenswear lines are all about give and take: While each one remains distinctly unique, they continue to borrow hints of the other’s codes to retain that edgy sense of cool so inherent to the Maison. What is feminine becomes handsome; what is masculine becomes beautiful.

There’s no exception to this rule on display in the Maison’s latest offering, the fall/winter 2023 menswear collection, which debuted in the rotunda of Paris’ Bourse de Commerce — Pinault Collection.

Creative director Anthony Vaccarello presented a collection that was refined and elegant: A display of the modern gentleman in all his restrained beauty. The colour palette was neutral (black, white, camel, navy) yet enriched by a clashing of soft fabrics (mohair, cashmere, satin and velvet) with sharp lines and fluid silhouettes.

Strong, exaggerated shoulders met narrow waists and hips (evoking an almost Spanish influence). Feminine flourishes were displayed through a toying with proportions and an instinct to delicately wrap the body in flowing textiles; as well as recurrent, oversized and off-kilter pussycat bows on the neck of a number of crisp shirts. Midi-length mohair knit dresses with their necks extended all the way to the nose are layered over trousers. Elsewhere, an elegant off-white blouse features draped lapels flowing seamlessly into a gathered, cummerbund-like waist, further reinforcing the concept of the modern gentleman.

Vaccarello borrowed another trend that has been on the rise in womenswear circuits, too: The hood, or “capuche”, once popularised by the likes of Grace Jones and Yves Saint Laurent himself in the mid-1980s. A number of pieces gracefully extend up to rest upon the crown of the head with a touch of dramatic — yet understated — flair.

Below, scroll to discover the sophisticated collection.

What is FEMININE becomes HANDSOME; what is MASCULINE becomes BEAUTIFUL