Underneath it all
An assortment of dresses, made from the same fabric as tights. Held at Paris Fashion Week, the theme of the Saint Laurent winter 2024 show was ‘Transparencies’. Vaccarello’s exploration of mesh dresses shows how far is too far when, sensuality meets wearability.
Sheer dresses are the rage these days, with all the celebrities like Kendall Jenner, and more, showing off a little or a lot of skin. So how do you build an entire collection around this? Creative Director, Anthony Vaccarello has been focusing on different silhouettes and different moods for a few seasons. His previous version of quiet luxury was transformed into glamour.
80 percent of it all was totally translucent. The fabric was draped, and wrapped around the body, exposing nipples and collarbones and well, everything, really. In this collection, the body was proven to be the most important accessory, as the clothes were made from soft and thin material highlighting the figure underneath rather than the garment itself. Many of the dresses stretched across.
In a show full of body-hugging outline looks, it was all about transparency. The first outfit in the series was a sheer coffee brown dress accessorised with a faux shrug held on the side with a black gold buckled belt. The opening look was followed by a series of similarly styled pieces, some with luxurious furs and some with oversized jackets.
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There were a few exceptional coats and wrappers, including a patent leather one with curved arms. The lineup prompted questions about what would actually sell, and aside from accessories and outerwear, there wasn’t much to speak of. Bags haven’t appeared on the Saint Laurent runway for several seasons now.
Statement earrings, chunky platform boots, and oversized sunglasses added a touch of attitude, while sleek clutch bags, and belts offered sophistication. Each ensemble complemented the overall aesthetic without overshadowing the clothing.
The show revealed just how skinny these models are, and also failed to ask how those looks would translate to someone without visible hip bones. Although it was a winter collection, most of the blazers, except for a few shiny leather ones, were draped over the models, arms instead of being worn. It looked fluffy and lavish.
The palette transitioned from taupe, sand, olive, chocolate, and black. The colours ranged from tan, to green, to iris, to midnight blue, to maroon, to all light, deep nudes, all done in sheer to leave nothing to the imagination.
