Saint Laurent runway show, at the Bourse de Commerce, Paris, January 27. SEBASTIEN DUPUY/AFP
Just when it seemed to be over, there was more to come. Although Paris Men's Fashion Week officially ended on January 25, one last menswear show was added to the calendar: Saint Laurent. The date was dictated by the venue. To stage a show at the Bourse de Commerce – which houses the art collections of François Pinault, founder of the Kering group that owns the brand – one must work around the museum's schedule. The space was only available after the "Minimal" exhibition was taken down, so Saint Laurent held its show on Tuesday, January 27.
This outsider status suits creative director Anthony Vaccarello, who for several years avoided presenting his menswear line alongside the competition, feeling he had not yet achieved what he envisioned. Now that his men's collections rank among the season's most compelling, he has no objection to standing out by showing off-schedule.
The starting point for the Fall-Winter 2026-2027 collection was Giovanni's Room, the 1956 novel by James Baldwin. The book explores the complex romantic relationships of a young American in Paris who struggles with his bisexuality. He frequents a seedy gay bar where handsome young men and older gentlemen mingle, as well as the room of a waiter, the eponymous Giovanni. The space of Giovanni's room – where the protagonist dresses and undresses, moving between secret nudity and the uniform of polite society – particularly fascinated Vaccarello.
