Kate Moss and Michelle Pfeiffer were among the front row guests as Anthony Vaccarello marked a decade at the helm of Saint Laurent with a revived take on the house's iconic Le Smoking suit. The most famous suit in the world, originally designed by Yves Saint Laurent in 1966, returned to the Paris catwalk 60 years after its invention.
Adapted from men's smoking jackets, the slim-trousered, narrow-lapelled suit became a symbol of power dressing and gender fluidity. Vaccarello's 2026 version, worn by 14 models with hands nonchalantly in pockets, took an 1980s Wall Street-inspired turn, with maximal jewellery and makeup reminiscent of Robert Palmer's Addicted to Love video.
The show was staged in a modernist glass apartment in front of the Eiffel Tower, lit by 20,000 twinkling bulbs. Despite the glamour, current events touched the mood, with wildly materialistic displays of power feeling out of step. However, Paris Fashion Week proceeded as scheduled, with the Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion confirming no cancellations.
Saint Laurent's parent company Kering reported annual revenue of approximately €2.6bn (£2.3bn), down 8% year on year. Yet Simon Longland, Harrods' director of fashion buying, noted the brand's resilience, saying people were still buying it. Fashion, he added, is about aspiration and dressing for the world you want.
