YSL lights up Paris fashion week show with return of Le Smoking suit

"Designed by the late couturier to be worn by men in smoking rooms to protect clothing from the smell of cigars, he adapted it for women, slimming the trousers and lapels. It wasn't a runaway success—only one sold from his 1966 collection—but it became a global symbol of power dressing and gender dismantling, and would appear in every collection until Saint Laurent retired in 2002."

"It wasn't the slinky tailoring synonymous with Saint Laurent but more of an 1980s Wall Street look, worn with maximal jewellery and a makeup palette ripped from Robert Palmer's Addicted to Love video. Hot on the heels of Harry Styles's black-and-white boucle pinstripe Chanel suit at the Brits, some even came in barely-there pinstripe, though they were more reminiscent of the dollar-saturated world of Wall Street."

"As if to hammer home the power-dressing theme, the coat section featured enormous jackets in knitted shearling and sky-high heels. Models show the Saint Laurent womenswear fall/winter 2026-2027 collection."

Yves Saint Laurent's Le Smoking, originally designed for men to wear in smoking rooms, was adapted for women in 1966 with slimmed trousers and lapels. Though initially unsuccessful with only one sale, it became a global symbol of power dressing and gender equality, appearing in every collection until Saint Laurent's 2002 retirement. For Paris Fashion Week 2026, designer Anthony Vaccarello reimagined the suit with an 1980s Wall Street influence, featuring oversized jackets, maximal jewelry, and Robert Palmer-inspired makeup. Fourteen models opened the show wearing the updated version, some in barely-there pinstripes, paired with sky-high heels and knitted shearling coats, emphasizing power dressing themes.

Read at www.theguardian.com