Vaccarello has done what is rarely if ever seen on the runways these days and that is .... HE SHOWED THE WORLD THE DNA of the brand that employs him! This is one of the most well put together, cohesive, slick, chic, soigné, urbane, sleek and razor-sharp collections to have come down a runway in what seems to be eons. This was unquestionably an homage to the master that worked perfectly without looking retro or directly copied from the vast YSL archive. Vaccarello has truly come together with his brand here and shown the fashion world that it is indeed impossible to adhere to an eponymous designer’s vocabulary without looking like retreads or been there done that. This was a watershed collection of acumen!
If timing is everything, then this was the time that a collection such as this stands on its own and stands out as a triumph amidst all the dross that we have seen in the past few weeks. This show was brilliant exercise in its cohesion as well as massaging the nuances of Yves that he used season after season on the runway. The sunglasses, the Nancy Cunard bracelets stacks and the all over slick sharp, luxe for this season was just stand out. Looking at past collections of Rive Gauche, there was always a common thread woven through each collection and that practice was demonstrated here in spades. These are clothes that are timeless, classic yet of the times and perfectly in harmony with the brand.
If there is anything, and you know I have to find something, that I would have wished for here it would have been some color since Yves was a master colorist, a hit of leopard for obvious reasons and maybe a tad of embroidery or prints. That being said none of MY issues takes away from the fact that Vaccarello mined the archive and came out with a stellar collection worthy of the brand and its founder and shows him off as being pitch perfect in tune with the heritage of the house.
