In the power skirmish between luxury groups, Kering is upping its game. For the second season, Anthony Vaccarello showed his Saint Laurent collection across from the Eiffel Tower, only this time, in a vast indoor space, its imposing exoskeleton an industrial grid of metal scaffolding supports and hundreds (thousands?) of round lights that beamed into the night sky. Inside, more lights would follow the models’ walks across the expanse of the vast, wide-plank wooden floor.
The power statement was driven home at the end of the show. The invitation and follow-up e-mail promised a start time of “precisely” 8 p.m. Just as Marc Jacobs has done in New York, Saint Laurent proved it can be done. Only here, there was more to it than the philosophical notion that an 8 p.m. show should start at 8 p.m. The doorway was positioned to frame the base of the tower, and the show, timed so that guests exiting at about 8:15 would come upon its hourly, after-dark light show. It typically starts on the hour but clearly, Kering managed to delay the twinkles for 15 minutes. It was spectacular.
More spectacular than the clothes? Well, yes. But the Eiffel Tower glittering up-close and on
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.Read More…