Sensual and radiant men at the Saint Laurent show

By Louise Menard.

The man by Saint Laurent: between lightness and sensuality

Somewhere between La Collectionneuse (1967) and La Piscine (1969), the images of Larry Stanton shared on Instagram a few days before the Saint Laurent meanswear Spring/Summer 2026 runway show hinted at a light and languid collection. An ode to summer and the sweetness of those endless naps in the sun.

Staged in a poetic setting, Anthony Vaccarello conceived the show as a moment outside of time. Artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot created tis musical and aquatic installation. A blend of sensuality and ambiguity, precise cuts and pastel tones, elegance and heritage.

Despite the apparent nonchalance, expressed in the models’ attitude in particular, this collection carries a powerful message. It pays tribute to a community of queer artists, including American painters Patrick Angus (1953–1992) and Billy Sullivan (b. 1946).

Silhouette after silhouette, no piece is trying to stand out or go viral on its own. As opposed to the thigh-high boots rom last season… Instead, every element fits harmoniously within the whole collection.

Under the watchful eyes of the house’s close friends – Vassili Schneider, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Béatrice Dalle, and Lila Moss. It seemed that the rotunda of the Bourse de Commerce never shone so brightly.

Details inspired by the house’s heritage

As always at Saint Laurent, this new line draws its inspiration from the house’s archives and the legacy of its founder. As a direct reference to photographs of the young Yves Saint Laurent taken in Oran in the 1950s, the silhouettes on the catwalk evoke the 1970s down to the design of the sunglasses for instance and the designer’s first menswear collection from 1969 too.

Le short court retroussé rappelle la célèbre saharienne de 1967, tandis que les jeux de transparence, les cravates partiellement dissimulées et les chemises à effet mouillé marquent la subversion. De leur côté, les vestes de tailleur et trenchs aux épaules saillantes et structurées, devenus des pièces emblématiques des collections femme, établissent des silhouettes fortes et imposantes.

Enfin, exit le noir et les teintes graves, Anthony Vaccarello ose la couleur, le bordeaux, l’ocre, le vert d’eau, le bleu… Car cette saison chez Saint Laurent, il est grand temps de se réjouir de la beauté de l’été, tout simplement.

The looks from the Saint Laurent Men’s Spring/Summer 2026 show