yves saint laurent

One show that I regret not looking at too closely from last season was Stefano Pilati's star-filled and mannish show for Yves Saint Laurent. Bare jewel tones and blazers missing sleeves with strong shoulders offered an interesting and effortless simplicity. Oh, and those YSL logo shoes and star accents that glittered were fun too. The knife sharp cuts and mannish tailoring were present for the fall collection, but it was harder, stronger, and better.

Normally I think it's terribly distracting when a designer sends a slew of models out in matching wigs and makeup. It makes them look less human, and less important because clothes are meant to be worn by people, not plastic looking hangers. However, there was a solidarity, a strength in numbers vibe if you will, in the black, blunt bowl cuts and noir lipstick. They almost looked like an army of Peggy Moffit look-a-like's with '80s wrap around shades. Once your eye moves from that shock, it will only be met with more things to rouse and intrigue. I love a good tweed and here it falls every so sharply in the form of coats, jackets, and pants. The silhouette of a belted waist, structure on top, and a flow of movement on bottom was consistent and very feminine. A charming charcoal coat with flecks of color and a suggestion of a cerulean blue beneath with fingertipless gloves and tall boots is an uncompromising look, but there is comfort in that fabric and texture, and a bit of hopefulness in the color that is more associated with summer and someplace hot. This was a built on collection of coats and outerwear, which is refreshing when it boggles the mind at the wispy nature of some other designer's creations for fall. It does get cold somewhere in the world, despite the effects of global warming, and Yves Saint Laurent will be there to offer you cozy single button coats, '80s toppers , and jackets that flow after the zips stops at the waist. Clean lines and color blocking ruled the dresses, even one going into that territory that's not alway the vulgar but just enough to titillate.

Shape and cut seems to be interesting French fashion more so than the other cities that have presented so far. Too bad for those cities because Pilati is onto something with his '80s-futuristic-everyday-femme-warrior.