Even the most epic of journeys has to begin somewhere. Ask Saint Laurent’s Anthony Vaccarello, who last December unveiled his terrific spring 2021 collection via a movie of models walking in single file across shimmering and striated sand dunes which stretched (it appeared) into infinity. Now the house has released images of its spring 2021 pre-collection. Arriving in stores at any minute, it’s the curtain raiser on what we were treated to at the end of last year; the starting point for that desert odyssey of ’60s-meets-’90s molded longer line jackets, low-slung and slouchy pants, compact knit jumpsuits, short skirts, and lingerie looks which walked on the (tongue in chic) wild side as much as they did grains of sand. “I worked on spring during the confinement, so I was inspired by the idea of easy and more comfortable clothes which I continued in the pre-collection,” says Vaccarello.

A gimlet eye can detect how Vaccarello is kick-starting his spring line-up with this pre-collection. Next summer’s longer jacket is rendered here as a nifty double-breasted blazer, cut with the same masculin/féminin attitude of YSL of yore, and paired with fluid, high-waisted/high-cut shorts. That glorious Frederick’s of Hollywood vibe lingerie begins here with an armoire’s worth of lace and silk camisoles and slips, executed with the kind of vintage-y perfection that you’d only ever find in your dreams (or Kate Moss’s wardrobe, circa 1996). Their fretted delicacy lends a bit of softness to the likes of faded blue jeans, gilt-button cable-knit cardigans, and yet more of those shorts, cut from gleaming pliant leather. In other words: Why bother with a T-shirt when you could be wearing a camisole instead?

You might also see why the house held off showing this pre-collection until now. I mean, why spoil the surprise of seeing Vaccarello take on prints for Saint Laurent—a first for him, and deftly handled. There are pop-art blooms, a very Parisian matrix of polka dots, and a graphic daisy motif sourced from the house’s archive, which has more than a distinct whiff of those moments when Monsieur Saint Laurent riffed on the ’40s from the perspective of the ’70s. (Vaccarello gives his own nod to that decade mash-up, with several looks paired with his update of platform sandals which are redolent of Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic—and at the time, super controversial—ode to the 1940s that he showed in 1971.)

In essence though, Vaccarello’s conversations between his pre- and ‘runway’ collections are also in constant dialogue with the history, myth and reality of the house of Saint Laurent itself. Five years into his role at Saint Laurent he has been working on the classic concept of the garderobe—the stuff that’s used day in, day out—as much as anything worn in the glare of the spotlight, ta-dah moment. The underwear and hose styling of much of this pre-collection is pretty much just that; Vaccarello’s wink-wink to our weird state of indoor dressing where we’re caught between the privacy of home and the public face we present on Zoom. Or, as Vaccarello puts it: “At home…[it’s] the easy and effortless attitude you have in an intimate and comfortable environment.”

The takeaway here is the pieces which will transcend where we are now and take us into the future—one with a certain buoyancy and optimism, if these clothes are anything to go by. Those sharp, smart-investment jackets. The abbreviated print dresses which could just as easily—easier, even—be worn around the house with slides or sneakers. Oh, and any one of those impeccably cut trench coats, which Vaccarello shot a whole campaign on with the iconic and incredible Catherine Deneuve. How else do you triple-underscore timeless appeal—and true staying power?

In other news, Versace Spring 2021 ad campaign. Review of Versace Spring 2021 Ad Campaign by Donatella Versace and Creative Director Ferdinando Verderi with Photographers Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott.

Next summer’s longer jacket is rendered here as a nifty double-breasted blazer, cut with the same masculin/féminin attitude of YSL of yore, and paired with fluid, high-waisted/high-cut shorts.

Saint Laurent unveils a simple new campaign in celebration of their classic trench coat – and who better to embody it than all-time classic of cinema, Catherine Deneuve? David Sims photographs the French actress in an elegant series of black-and-white portraits for the Spring 2021 campaign.

Her hair tousled by the breeze, Deneuve exudes wisdom and playful pose.

Sims captures her with sensitivity, and we can see the sense of mutual admiration and confidence that develops between them. Saint Laurent makes a smart choice in spotlighting a star of the Spring 2021 collection.

Catherine Fabienne Dorléac is a French actress as well as an occasional singer, model and producer, considered one of the greatest European actresses. She gained recognition for her portrayal of icy, aloof and mysterious beauties for various directors, including Luis Buñuel, François Truffaut and Roman Polanski. In 1985, she succeeded Mireille Mathieu as the official face of Marianne, France's national symbol of liberty. A 14-time César Award nominee, she won for her performances in Truffaut's The Last Metro (1980), for which she also won the David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actress, and Régis Wargnier's Indochine (1992).

Deneuve appeared nude in two Playboy pictorials in 1963 and 1965. Her image was used to represent Marianne, the national symbol of France, from 1985 to 1989. As the face of Chanel No. 5 in the late 1970s, she caused sales of the perfume to soar in the United States – so much so that the American press, captivated by her charm, nominated her as the world's most elegant woman. In 1983, American Home Products retained her to represent their cosmetics line and hired world-renowned photographer Richard Avedon to promote its line of Youth Garde cosmetics, for which she famously proclaimed, "Look closely. Next year I will be 40."

She is considered the muse of designer Yves Saint Laurent; he dressed her in the films, Belle de Jour, La Chamade, La sirène du Mississipi, Un flic, Liza and The Hunger. In 1992, she became a model for his skincare line. In 2001, she was chosen as the new face of L'Oréal Paris. In 2006, Deneuve became the third inspiration for the M•A•C Beauty Icon series and collaborated on the colour collection that became available at M•A•C locations worldwide in February that year. Deneuve began appearing in the new Louis Vuitton luggage advertisements in 2007. Deneuve was listed as one of the fifty best-dressed over 50s by the Guardian in March 2013. In July 2017, Deneuve appeared in a video campaign for Louis Vuitton entitled Connected Journeys, celebrating the launch of the brand's Tambour Horizon smartwatch, which also featured celebrities, including Jennifer Connelly, Bae Doona, Jaden Smith and Miranda Kerr.

In other news, Kenzo x Kansai Yamamoto Collaboration. This campaign is youthful and knows what young people are looking for.

Review of Saint Laurent The Classic Trench Coat Spring 2021 Ad Campaign by Art Director Anthony Vaccarello & Photographer David Sims with Actress Catherine Deneuve.

SAINT LAURENT CATHERINE DENEUVE SPRING 2021 AD CAMPAIGN

For a new campaign that is so chic and frightening, Saint Laurent taps iconic modern filmmaker Gaspar Noé. Noé creates a work that is at once an artistically elevated fashion film and a moving portrait of the mysteries of modern femininity, merging an aesthetic sensibility with his obsession for the technological elements of cinema. 

The style of the film feels inspired by both Noé's own work and the psychological horror classic Suspiria by Dario Argento. In the color grading and the theme of cult, ritualized womanhood, the influence of the latter can be felt. 

But Noé is still firmly present in his penchant for avant-garde surrealism and contemporary technical elements, and we can see several technical and thematic parallels to Lux Aeterna, his most recent film project. The film, a kind of mockumentary-cum-essay-on-cinema focusing on Béatrice Dalle, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and witchcraft, actually evolved from his work for a Saint Laurent commission. 

The movie begins with classic horror vibes: a lone woman screams in a dark forest as she runs away from some unknown fear. She soon finds a stately but ominous mansion, and takes shelter inside. She finds the house to be shared by other young women who, appearing to possess some hidden wisdom, lounge about in silent opulence. The legendary and infinitely talented Charlotte Rampling plays the domineering and self-obsessed mistress of the building, who assembles her girls for the odd one-woman performance that ends the film in a velvet-seated theater. 

There is a feeling of foreboding and enigmatic suspense mixed with scintillating visuals, much like a long dream or an awkward acid trip. 

Through the rich colour scheme of deep red, black, and gold, the feeling takes on a fascinating expression. The sense of morbid decadence is deepened by extravagant interior decorating. 

The film does not attempt to send any overt message, but subtly points out similarities between femininity expectations and the concept of social success. Although it doesn't quite deliver the climax it seems to be working towards, the short film is a masterpiece in style and sound. Is Saint Laurent giving us a nightmare, or a dream? We don't want to wake up either way.

Saint Laurent Creative Director | Anthony Vaccarello
Director | Gaspar Noe
Models | Anok Yai, Antonia Przedpelski, Assa Baradji, Aylah Mae Peterson, Charlotte Rampling, Clara Deshayes, Grace Hartzel, Kim Schell, Mica Arganaraz, Miriam Sanchez, Sora Choi, & Stefania Cristian
Music |« I Feel Love » by SebastiAn, Lyrics and music from Pete Bellotte, Giorgio Moroder & Donna Summer © Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Rick’s Music Inc. & Sweet Summer Night Music
Production | Saint Laurent

In other news, Versace Pre-Fall 2021. “The collection is dedicated to all those men and women who are self-confident, aware of who they are, authentic."

Review of Saint Laurent ‘Summer of ’21’ Ad Campaign Film by Director Gaspar Noé & Saint Laurent Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello.

SAINT LAURENT: SUMMER OF ’21 BY GASPAR NOE

Luxury group Kering, which owns Yves Saint Laurent among other top brands, has been under investigation since February 2019 for tax fraud, the French financial prosecutor's office said Wednesday.

It confirmed a report by the Mediapart news agency, which said Kering had set up a system which enabled it to declare in Switzerland activities in third countries, primarily Italy, allowing it to avoid paying 2.5 billion euros (3.0 billion dollars) in taxes between 2010 and 2017.

A Kering statement said the group firmly contested the "unfounded allegations" of tax fraud contained in the Mediapart story.

Kering, which is headed by French businessman Francois-Henri Pinault, said it was prepared to fully cooperate with the financial authorities.

In 2019, Kering, which also owns Balenciaga and Gucci, was hit with a record tax bill in Italy of 1.25 billion euros in connection with Gucci's earnings, following an investigation by the Milan prosecutor that began in late 2017.

The Italian probe determined that Kering has used a logistics centre in Lugano, Switzerland run by Kering's Luxury Goods International (LGI) division to bill for activities that in fact took place in Italy, thus reducing its tax bill there.

Mediapart, which first revealed the operation in March 2018, said Kering then extended the system "to its other luxury brands, with the exception of jewellery, including the French companies Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent."

"Thanks to a secret tax agreement with the (Swiss) canton of Tessin, Kering paid tax of just 8.0 percent on LGI's profits, instead of 33 percent in France," Mediapart said.

It calculated that Kering avoided paying 180 million euros on sales by Yves Saint Laurent alone.

In other news, Proenza Schouler Resort 2021 RTW Collection Fashion Show photos from New York Fashion Week (Dec, 2020).

LUXURY GIANT KERING UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR TAX FRAUD

The latest from the fashion house’s Rive Droite collection includes a skateboard, boombox and a retro arcade machine.

Fashion has a longstanding history of intersecting with subcultures, like skateboarding, hip-hop and design, but few label’s have injected a one-of-a-kind luxury spirit into these worlds in the way that Saint Laurent‘s Rive Droite Collection has. Featuring a myriad of exclusive items that are impeccably designed, highly functional and quintessentially of the French fashion house, Rive Droite is a creative and cultural destination curated by Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello. Named as a nod to the house’s Rive Gauche line, which accelerated the process of democratizing luxury fashion in the 1960s, its selection of unexpected objects and art pieces breathe life into whatever space they occupy, providing a balance of utility and sheer fun.

Saint Laurent Rive Droite is ever evolving, always showcasing a wide range of new products and collaborations, including limited-edition books, photography and music. The space itself also frequently houses exhibitions, events and cultural exchanges. The latest release from the collection includes lifestyle goods, such as a GPO boombox that harkens back to the heyday of hip-hop, the Cotodama Lyric Speaker for a more traditional take on listening to music and cube-shaped candle holders made from hand-cut marble.

It’s evident that Anthony Vaccarello imagines and embraces new ways of enlarging the universe and DNA of Saint Laurent by pulling from different creative and design fields. Through this exploration, seemingly ordinary objects, like crystal-embellished dominoes and a Star Polaroid SX70 receive a conversation-starting upgrade. Equally as intriguing are offerings like the Neo Legend retro arcade machine—a true collector’s item for style or gaming enthusiasts.

Not to be outdone are the Rive Droite exclusives that combine sport with fashion: a tennis racket, made in collaboration with Wilson sports, a Saint Laurent Skateboard and a Saint Laurent x 6KU Nebula bicycle that comes along with a matte black Saint Laurent-branded bicycle lock. While each is perfectly functional, they work just as well on display thanks to a sleek re-imagination of typically utilitarian objects.

Of course the retail experience wouldn’t be complete with out a touch of fashion. The SL24 mid top-sneakers, which show off a signature Saint Laurent logo, are also available at Rive Droite. Located at 469 Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles and 213, rue saint Honoré in Paris as well as online, Rive Droite represents an invitation for all corners of culture to join the Saint Laurent universe.

Saint Laurent Upgrades Unexpected Objects Into Exceptionally Luxe Pieces.

SAINT LAURENT UPGRADES UNEXPECTED OBJECTS INTO EXCEPTIONALLY LUXE PIECES

With great talent and aplomb for Saint Laurent, Vaccarello performed his own high-wire act; an awareness that you need to sift through the myth and the imagination when you take on the house to find the realism that lies underneath. He remains intent on fine-tuning his garderobe for Saint Laurent with the spring 2021. He’s working on the rationale that, he says, “I don’t like the idea of doing a revolutionary wardrobe every season. For me, you can mix this collection with the one I did in Malibu last year or the one I showed overlooking Manhattan in 2018.”

The rocker-sharp tailoring of the suits, the spiffed-up shiny army surplus coats, and the shawl-collared blazers, most of them in black or ivory, reflect continuity. The novelty is to be found in the unexpected interplays of color (orange with pink, say); the green yet monochromatic floral prints, transforming the Hawaiian shirt's nostalgia and timelessness into a new urban classic; or the fresh line of those fluid trousers. The latter supply our newfound desire for a constant sense of ease, but it looks like you're close to giving up without caving in to go so casual.

Vaccarello has absorbed the experiences of what feels like the longest year in recent history, and found a way to reflect it in his clothes. “There’s something about comfort; I’d never really thought of it before,” he says, with a wry laugh. “Maybe it’s the fact that we stayed at home for months, and now when you see people in the streets, mixing a jacket with jogging pants, something of that casual easiness does go back to the collection. It’s about comfort in your own skin. But you have to elevate it. You have to take it forward.”

In other news, Performa launches limited edition "Home Goods" by Rick Owens' wife Michèle Lamy, Barbara Kruger and more, Commemorating the organization’s 8-hour global Telethon fundraiser.

Saint Laurent Spring 2021 RTW Collection Fashion Show Accessory photos from Paris Fashion Week (Dec, 2020).

SAINT LAURENT SPRING 2021 FASHION SHOW DETAILS

On a runway the color of sun-bleached sand, Anthony Vaccarello showed a stellar Saint Laurent collection of slick, strong shouldered tailoring and even slicker latex last February. Perhaps the set was intended to evoke North Africa's desert landscapes, a region with which the house has long been associated - Monsieur Saint Laurent was born in Algeria - but it also rendered one heck of a backdrop for the radical (and ravishing) reimagining of Vaccarello's classic YSL color palette emerald, fuchsia, lipstick red, et al. Now, ten life-changing months later, Vaccarello has returned to the dunes to present summer 2021. It's a link connecting where we were and where we are, rather than a neat visual along the line between the collections. I say time-sands, anybody? 

This time, there's no elaborate show in Paris, though. Instead it's a hypnotic video by longtime artistic accomplice Natalie Canguilhem of models walking through striated sandbanks in a snaking single file in.... well who knows exactly where? Suffice to say that the panoramic view as far as the eye (well the camera) can see a similar trick performed here as it did in February: the better to highlight his current sleek silhouette, an uninterrupted backdrop. Next summer's collection is a great trendy workout, but one with a kicker; it's also shockingly smooth, rough edges rounded off, save for the models' punkish/puckish haircuts. There is a general breeze, but nothing too loose, of giving, soothing, sometimes even playfulness. Vaccarello did not leave untouched the months of life in and out of lockdown, le confinément, with the attendant desire for clothes with ease and softness. 

"I wanted something softer, warmer with all that was going on in the world," he said during that phone call from Paris. He found his response to how to do it by delving into the YSL archives, alighting on the fluid, versatile jersey dressing that Saint Laurent did in 1968 in his normal resolutely left-field and non-historicist way.

In other news, Leica and Mykita team up for camera-inspired collaboration to create sunglasses with uncompromising quality and clarity of vision. Mykita and Leica have pioneered sun lenses with optical grade quality.

Vaccarello: “I wanted to speak to the comfort of the ’60s and to the comfort of today.”

For an edgy and erotic series of portraits, a new campaign from Saint Laurent Denim incorporates revolting rock influences. The Fall 2020 campaign includes film direction and Gray Sorrenti photography. 

In Sorrenti's simplistic black-and-white studio shots, the styling and casting choices work to add a pseudo-Bohemian, folk-rock flair. Skinny, tattooed bodies are exposed by layers of distressed denim buttoned way down. Fringey, 70's-esque DIY haircuts abound, and a cooler-than-thou attitude professes each narcotically nonchalant pair of eyes.

Interestingly, the campaign's style is reminiscent of the work of Hedi Slimane during his tenure as the label's creative director, as well as his latest work for Celine. That's not to suggest that Gray Sorrenti has no hand of her own, as she does in her wider work, as is evident. Since much of the aim of Slimane at Celine seems to be to steal Saint Laurent's market share, it is intriguing to see the latter work reaffirm their dominance over that space. Is one going to be victorious? Are buyers going to get tired of the shtick and move on from the two? We don't believe in something like too much imagination or too much denim, of course, so we're delighted to see it all play out.

Saint Laurent Creative Director | Anthony Vaccarello

Talent | Rosé, Yves Rohloff, Elise Van Iterson, Mika Schneider, Najib Abdi, Zso Varju, & Vova Slivka

Music | “Strange Dreams of You” by Arsun

In other news, Versace Spring 2021 RTW: “The world has changed and we have changed. We have been repeating this almost as a mantra for months, but at the end of the day, for a designer this means to start all over again.”

Review of Saint Laurent Denim ‘#YSL35’ Fall 2020 Ad Campaign by Saint Laurent Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello & Photographer Gray Sorrenti.

This season, it would seem that the humble deck of cards is fashion's latest object du jour. Whether part of their gifting assortment like Alexander McQueen and Saint Laurent Rive Droite or the inspiration behind an entire ready-to-wear collection à la Louis Vuitton, playing cards are suddenly an activity designers are getting behind. So how did we get here?

For his Cruise 2021 collection, Louis Vuitton Artistic Director Nicolas Ghesquière claimed that tarots were his favorite card game, explaining to Vogue that it's "because it can be used in many different ways" and that "cards are full of symbols." The heart, club, diamond and spades were a recurring theme throughout, seen on everything from handbags to blown up card motifs on clothes.

The accompanying campaign featuring Léa Seydoux goes even further by depicting a life-size stack of cards in the background while showcasing the brand's monogram interspersed with the four suits of a card deck. (LV fittingly named this collection "Game On.")

"The collection expresses a particular art of living that keeps Louis Vuitton's trunk-making heritage alive," the brand said in a statement. "It's the symbolism of a deck of cards, the traveler's loyal companion, and endless entertainment that cultivates togetherness."

Aha! "Togetherness." A concept that many will agree has taken on a new meaning this year, a time when not everyone can physically be together. As someone who has played more card games in the past few months than in past years combined, I can attest to this sentiment. (Being limited in entertainment options can do that to you.)

No sentiment of "togetherness" is more prevalent than during the holidays, which by its very nature is all about spending time with family. Which probably explains why Alexander McQueen introduced AMQ playing cards as part of its new gifting assortment for the first time. Ditto for Saint Laurent, which sells a $485 deck of cards + game box from its more novelty-driven Rive Droite line.

Meanwhile, a quick browse on shopping sites like Farfetch and SSENSE shows playing card references on everything from Ferragamo ties to Paul Smith cufflinks. McQueen t-shirts, Saint Laurent button-downs and Fendi jackets all incorporate card elements, as well.

To be sure, this is not an entirely new concept. Playing cards have been a source of inspiration for many designers in the past, from Dolce & Gabbana's Spring 2018 "Queen of Hearts" collection to Vivienne Westwood's pack of cards tied to her ongoing climate revolution series. But the timing of their resurgence as the world rethink ideas of entertainment, togetherness and travel make it an intriguing fashion reference as we head into a new year.

Every now and then a bizarre trend emerges that warrants a closer investigation. Last year it was the proliferation of lettuce at Fashion Week, followed by monkeys and monkey-adjacent creatures on the runways.

WHY ARE DESIGNERS OBSESSED WITH PLAYING CARDS?

Latex and legs once again take center stage in the latest campaign from Saint Laurent. Working alongside frequent collaborator Juergen Teller, creative director Anthony Vaccarello realizes a simple yet subversively sexy Fall 2020 campaign.

The most impactful motif of Vaccarello’s Fall 2020 runway show was its combination of classically feminine blazers and rubberized leggings, which could only remind one of latex fetish gear. The new campaign furthers this intersection of soft femininity and in-your-face eroticism, while also tapping into the work of one of fashion’s most important photographers.

One of the first artists to recognize that fashion photography can be about much more than clothing and beauty, Bourdin infused his images with narrative, rich color saturation, and provocative sensuality. The aggressively cropped body shots and intense reds of Teller’s photographs recall some of Bourdin’s most famous work.

The campaign balances its energies of lacy, velvety softness and domineering sexuality beautifully. Importantly, the women who star in the campaign are sexy, but not sexualized.

Vaccarello has again proven himself to be a confident scholar of the history of fashion, a masterful interpreter of the classical Saint Laurent language, and a progressive artist ready to keep the house moving forward.

Teller’s images seem heavily inspired by the work of Guy Bourdin in the ’70s.

Anthony Vaccarello is a Belgian fashion designer and currently creative director at Saint Laurent. Prior to this he held the position of creative director at Versus Versace, as well as designing his own eponymous line. In April 2016, Saint Laurent announced the appointment of Anthony Vaccarello as Creative Director. With a thorough understanding of the brand’s spirit, he has since his arrival, strongly empowered a highly desirable vision.

Anthony Vaccarello’s collections are a sophisticated tribute to Paris, the atelier and the savoir-faire, conceived with a contemporary perspective. ("Savoir-faire" in this case refers to "know-how," in the design, making, and selling of clothes.)

Since his appointment, he has affirmed his sharp, 360 degrees vision for Saint Laurent, pushing the brand forward with clarity and determination, mastering the House’s dynamics, its power over the collective imagination and developing an all-round vision, which is bringing the brand into the future while respecting its DNA.

For two years, Vaccarello worked under Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi, specializing in fur designs. Then in January 2009, he moved back to Paris, making his eponymous ready-to-wear collection debut, showing five looks in the window of the Parisian boutique Maria Luisa. After an introduction to Lou Doillon at a dinner party, Doillon modeled in Vaccarello's lookbook, shot in a parking garage. With high hemlines and sexy power dresses becoming the core of his subsequent collections, he gained a celebrity following, dressing Jennifer Lopez, Miley Cyrus, Gwyneth Paltrow and Alessandra Ambrosio.

By September 2014, Vaccarello was creating a capsule collection for Versus Versace. He went on to create several collections for Versus until April 2016 when it was announced that he had been appointed creative director of Saint Laurent Paris.

With a thorough understanding of the brand’s spirit, he has since his arrival, strongly empowered a highly desirable vision. Anthony Vaccarello’s collections are a sophisticated tribute to Paris, the atelier and the savoir-faire, conceived with a contemporary perspective. Since his appointment, he has affirmed his sharp, 360 degrees vision for Saint Laurent, pushing the brand forward with clarity and determination, mastering the House’s dynamics, its power over the collective imagination and developing an all-round vision, which is bringing the brand into the future while respecting its DNA.

High Risk editorial for Glassbook Magazine Styled by              Barbara Constantin 

ΥΨΗΛΟΥ ΚΙΝΔΥΝΟΥ:    HIGH-RISK ❌ GLASSBOOK MAGAZINE 

Photography, Music, Digital Art: Brian Ziff

Schön Magazine Editorial, Brittle Star, Fashion by Designer - Stylist- Artist Barbara Constantin 

ΕΥΘΡΑΥΣΤΟΣ ΑΣΤΕΡΙ:    BRITTLE ❌ STAR SCHÖN 

The creative director Anthony Vaccarello has hired the prolific German photographer to capture his Fall 2020 collection. Although studio photography is very rare for Teller — his style tends to be more reportage, capturing his subjects candidly in the middle of life — this campaign is an exception. Through basic studio portraiture, he captures Hartzel, using both black-and-white and color. Relying on the single set piece of a massive, sculptural lighting fixture, he sees similarities between the manner in which light plays across the multifaceted metal and the shimmering textures of Vaccarello's design. How much graphical unity and scope Teller can draw from just a few visual elements is remarkable. 

The campaign sets a clear objective: to show the power of Vaccarello's designs. Eschewing conceptual frills, compositions of Teller make subtle and clever use of pattern to accomplish this aim beautifully. 

Grace Kathleen Hartzel, of Zionsville, Indiana, is an American fashion model. At the age of only fifteen, she has been discovered while eating with her father at a St. Louis Cheesecake Factory. She "walked in almost every big show during the fall/winter 2015 and the spring/summer 2016 seasons," after being recognized in the fall/winter 2014 show as a muse of the then-YSL fashion designer Hedi Slimane. Slimane's spring 2014 show, when Grace Kathleen Hartzel has been an unknown, was "entirely made in Hartzel's image." 

Grace Kathleen Hartzel has been featured in a 2016 Salvatore Ferragamo short film, My Life is a Game, directed by Sebastien Grousset and filmed by Pawel Edelman.

In other news, Rick Owens isn't into doing anything halfway. The Paris-based California-born designer is known for some of the most controversial and envelope-pushing concepts in the fashion industry, with runway shows to suit. Yet Spring/Summer 2021 "PHLEGETHON" is another matter. The line, closely lensed by Owens himself, is a selection of repurposed pieces from the previous collections of Owens, accompanied by new designs and concepts.

Juergen Teller lenses Grace Hartzel in a new campaign from Saint Laurent.

SAINT LAURENT: #YSL33 FALL 2020 AD CAMPAIGN

In the same way as its direct competitor LVMH, Kering has been affected by the current coronavirus pandemic, though both luxury conglomerates boast resilience in their financial half-year results. However, Kering was hit slightly harder than LVMH, with sales falling by an unadjusted 29.7 percent (compared to the 27 percent decline in LVMH). 

The consolidated revenue of €5.3 billion (around $6.3 billion USD) is approximately a third less than Kering's previous year's reported revenue but its operating margin remains "resilient" at 17.7 percent, Kering reports. Shop closings and stopped tourism played a major role in subverting Kering's fortunes, as they did with LVMH, and the resulting post-pandemic reopening worked in Kering's favor as well. 

While sales from directly operated stores shrank by almost 31 percent — Kering's total revenue decreased by an estimated 43.4 percent due to closure in particular in Q2 2020. Online sales rocketed 47.2 percent, however, boosting the figures of Kering during global quarantines. Asia, particularly China, has played a particularly important part in the gradual recovery of Kering. 

Gucci, arguably Kering's crown jewel, is a reflection of Kering's difficult year. It enjoyed a "robust" beginning in 2020, but saw sales fall over EUR 3 billion (around USD 3.6 billion) in the first six months of 2020, down 33.5 percent from 2019 (EUR 4.6 billion or about USD 5.4 billion). Kering records "favorable traction with local customers in its main markets" as Gucci stores continue to reopen, boosting the brand's online sales by a remarkable 51.8 percent, following a 36.1 percent drop in wholesale revenue. 

Ironically, only Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent (revenue down 30%) and Bottega Veneta (revenue down 8.4%) are being supplied by specific finances from Kering. As for Alexander McQueen and Balenciaga, Kering's only note is that the houses "held firm" and reduced declining revenue due to "the appeal of their innovative offering." Kering's "other houses" (i.e. those not Gucci, Saint Laurent or Bottega Veneta) brought in €919.1 million (about $1.07 billion) with revenue down by 25 percent. 

Kering's main brands continue to innovate in gendered fashion, even in the face of a global pandemic: Gucci has recently launched its first non-binary collection, and Bottega Veneta has launched a masculinity-questioning line.

In other news, Adidas and Yohji Yamamoto‘s long-running Y-3 label is expected to present its FW20 footwear collection in the coming weeks, and one of the main pieces is a new style called the Hicho. A platform take on adidas Originals‘ iconic Campus, the Hicho serves as Y-3's court shoe for the autumn season, elevating a classical style both figuratively and literally for a completely innovative look.

KERING'S REVENUE DROPPED NEARLY 30 PERCENT IN 2020'S FIRST HALF

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