Morocco taught Yves Saint Laurent color, instilling in him what would become the house's signature attitude. So, it was only fitting that current YSL artistic director Anthony Vaccarello staged the house's Spring/Summer 2023 show in the county that became Mr. Saint Laurent's adopted home and inspiration paradise.
Time after time, Vaccarello positions Saint Laurent as being more than mere garments but rather an expression of creative drive. These fundamental principles, akin to Yves' overarching vision, are unmistakable in the brand's SS23 presentation.
In the middle of Marrakech's Agafay desert, Saint Laurent billboards and minimalist YSL fixtures greeted guests.
Meanwhile, familiar faces like Stranger Thing's Jamie Campbell Bower, Got7's Mark Tuan, musician Steve Lacy, and Euphoria's Dominic Fike gathered for photo opps, each epitomizing the house's effortlessly cool ethos.
Sandy desert grounds replaced the usual glossy platform catwalk, while mini dust storms gave us a taste of the house's Smoking podcast. Dune's design team dreams of this.
Strutting models in their luxurious Saint Laurent ensembles become a fashion illusion amidst the hazy gusts, as if they were flickering between reality and the viewers' stylish imaginations.
Did I mention Saint Laurent made its own moon for the SS23 show?
Resembling that of a large-scale ring light that a TikToker could only dream of, a lit structure created by artist Es Devilin dramatically rose from a pool in the circular runway's center at the brink of dusk.
On Highsnobiety's TikTok account, approving comments poured in. "Yves would approve. He loved Marrakesh," "The first not-boring men's wear show," "Something outta a dream."
Easily a contender for this year's most extravagent runway show, Saint Laurent's SS23 menswear presentation delivered 50 looks of understated opulence, exuding not only the spirit of the house but Yves Saint Laurent himself.
Guest may have come to see Saint Laurent's newest tailored garments and opulent faux fur coats but the sheer spectacle alone was likely aesthetic enough to satisfy their palates.
