The Models at Saint Laurent Literally Walked on Water

Tonight in Paris, Saint Laurent‘s Anthony Vaccarello presented his spring ’19 collection slap bang in the middle of the city’s Fontaine du Trocadero, with all the models literally walking on water. However, while it may have appeared a miracle to the untrained eye, it was actually a clever ruse devised by production maestro Alexandre de Betak. The ravine runway was really no more that a film of water a couple of inches deep at most.

Hidden depths or lack thereof, said expanse of water was the perfect backdrop against which to showcase those signature Saint Laurent platforms — so vertiginous that toes remained completely dry. The season’s offering included some dramatic metallics, their towering soles emblazoned with stars or glittering stones. Elsewhere came slouchy boots in snakeskin or gold with structured knee-high versions proving more appropriate to the conditions underfoot.

Although the show’s male contingent was missing this season, as Vaccarello showed men’s in June in New York, there were still plenty of androgynous vibes — hotpants notwithstanding. Cast your eyes further up the body and you found a combination of velvet band jackets and New Romantic ruffles and sharp double-breasted suiting. Kaia Gerber wore both. And both would be a great fit for Saint Laurent muse Kate Moss, sitting front-row.

Of late, Vaccarello has been ending his shows with a series of couture looks, but given those glamorous, Los Angeles-inflected pool party vibes (the set was also lined with giant white palm trees), a Saint Laurent swimwear category seemed, in the circumstances, a natural fit.

With Le Bon Marché’s Los Angeles takeover in full swing and  Hedi Slimane’s Celine debut looming Friday, in Paris at least, all roads seem to be L.A.-bound.