Anthony Vaccarello celebrates a decade at Saint Laurent with a Spring/Summer 2027 collection dominated by gold, dramatic silhouettes and the house’s unmistakable codes.
Ten years after taking the creative helm of Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello has delivered one of the most striking collections of his tenure. For Spring/Summer 2027, the designer transformed the house’s fascination with gold into the defining element of a show where tailoring, eveningwear and dramatic textures came together beneath the Parisian night sky.
Rather than treating gold as a decorative detail, Vaccarello allowed it to dominate almost every aspect of the collection. Deep metallic shades, burnished finishes and Byzantine-inspired tones covered entire silhouettes, creating a succession of looks that shifted constantly under the light. The result was opulent without abandoning the sharpness that has become synonymous with his Saint Laurent.
The choice also carries significant historical meaning. Yves Saint Laurent once described gold as “the colour of the sun”, and the shade has remained closely connected to the house ever since. Vaccarello revisited that legacy by exploring how a single colour can completely alter the personality of a garment depending on its construction, texture and movement.
Some of the most recognisable pieces from the Saint Laurent wardrobe returned through this golden filter. Classic trench coats appeared alongside fluid blouses and wrap skirts, while Vaccarello’s own vocabulary emerged through powerful shoulders, oversized blousons and sharply constructed short suits.
Materials played a crucial role in preventing the monochromatic concept from ever feeling repetitive. Lamé, organza, lace, brocade and jacquard responded differently to the metallic treatment, sometimes producing a soft shimmer and elsewhere creating a much more sculptural effect. Even latex was covered in gold leaf, pushing the collection towards an almost surreal sense of luxury.
That tension between control and sensuality has defined much of Vaccarello’s decade at Saint Laurent. Since becoming creative director in 2016, he has developed a recognisable silhouette based on precise tailoring, elongated proportions, strong shoulders and eveningwear designed around the body. For Spring/Summer 2027, those familiar codes remained intact but were amplified by the collection’s extraordinary use of colour.
Yet the most dramatic moment arrived when the gold suddenly disappeared.
Towards the end of the show, black took over the catwalk, creating an immediate contrast with everything that had come before. Black velvet suits absorbed the light, while voluminous evening gowns introduced softer, almost cloud-like shapes. After an entire collection built around reflection and brilliance, the darkness felt deliberately powerful.
The finale became even more emotional with Charlotte Gainsbourg performing for the audience. Against the sparkling backdrop of the Eiffel Tower, her presence added another connection to the cultural universe that has surrounded Saint Laurent for decades.
The collection also arrived amid speculation surrounding Anthony Vaccarello’s future at Saint Laurent, giving certain moments of the show an inevitably reflective quality. However, the house has not confirmed his departure, meaning the Spring/Summer 2027 collection can be understood first and foremost as a celebration of the creative language he has developed over the past decade.
After ten years, Vaccarello did not attempt to reinvent Saint Laurent from scratch. Instead, he took some of its most enduring symbols and pushed them to their most spectacular expression. Gold became fabric, atmosphere and identity, illuminating a collection that looked simultaneously towards the history of Yves Saint Laurent and the distinctive era Vaccarello has created for the house.
