ANTHONY VACCARELLO has continually presented the Saint Laurent person as one who is in touch with their sexuality. Or their sensuality, if you will, through the way that their clothing accentuates the body’s natural angles and draws the eye along its lines. The way they embody the space they walk through.

It feels somewhat intriguing, then, that Vaccarello would cite James Baldwin’s book Giovanni’s Room as a literary inspiration for the autumn winter 2026 collection. A book about a young American who is struggling with their sexual identity, unsure of themselves. And the notion of what manhood and masculinity mean in the world and spaces they occupy.

But when you recall that these themes are what Saint Laurent, and Vaccarello, have repeatedly questioned through clothing – how a suit should drape, the taper of a shirt, the flare of a trouser or the details added to the final appearance – the inspiration makes sense. Codes of femininity are stitched into Vaccarello’s work, while the elements that make it “masculine” become exaggerated.

But like most things inspired by art, the collection isn’t a literal translation. Rather, Vaccarello seems caught up by a particular mood or moment. In this instance, the idea of the morning after, of dressing oneself again before returning to the world, became a quiet organising principle. Clothes appeared lived in, touched by time, yet controlled in their execution. Some might know it better as the walk of shame. But under Vaccarello’s hand, it becomes an extension of the art of seduction.

Silhouettes were lean and elongated. Tailored jackets sat strong on the shoulder but softened through the body, moving away from rigid masculinity towards something more pliable. Trousers were wide through the leg and fluid in motion, breaking cleanly over polished shoes. The house’s signature smoking reappeared as a stabilising force, cut sharply and worn with purpose.

Textures played a key role. Fabrics looked crumpled or gently distressed, suggesting wear rather than ruin. Knitwear clung close to the body, while silk accents at the neck introduced a note of intimacy. There was little interest in overt colour. Black dominated, supported by deep, dark tones that reinforced the collection’s inward focus.

Footwear grounded the looks. High boots (this look seem to be going nowhere any time soon and someone keep an eye on the Skarsgårds ) added weight and authority, anchoring silhouettes that otherwise felt light and exposed. The overall effect was one of balance, between exposure and armour, softness and control.

Across recent seasons, Vaccarello has been gradually reshaping Saint Laurent menswear, opening it up to broader expressions of sexuality and self-presentation. Autumn Winter 2026 continues that trajectory, trusting cut, proportion and material to do the work, asking the wearer to engage with what it means to dress, and be seen, in the world.

That Vaccarello tapped the talents of the most-talked-about television show for his front row, Heated Rivalry’s Connor Storrie, François Arnaud and Robbie Graham-Kuntz was a perfect fit to the themes that played out on the runway.

While the collection’s literary aspirations sound lofty, the clothes are arguably practical and precise. Vaccarello still thinks about how these will look and operate on real men, in real life.

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