Saint Laurent's 2026 Take On Sexy: Smoking Jackets, Pencil Skirts, and Lots of Lace

There are countless reasons why Paris Fashion Week remains one of the most beloved stops on the fashion month calendar, be it the sheer number of heavy-hitting designers on the calendar or the celebrity star power in attendance, and one of the most anticipated shows of the week is none other than Saint Laurent. Well, if one can even call it a show—full-on production is a more apt term for how and where the Winter 2026 runway was staged. It was set inside a modernist residence, all floor-to-ceiling glass windows, with sweeping views of the Eiffel Tower, even complete with an oversize replica of a bust that once stood at the heart of Yves Saint Laurent's private home.

While the front row was stacked with A-listers from Kate Moss to François Arnaud, the runway was a parade of top models, including one Bella Hadid, who were all outfitted in a uniform of louche tailoring, dramatic outerwear, and what creative director Anthony Vaccarello is calling "nocturnal elegance". The collection was defined by two themes: on the one hand, the masculine tropes of the tuxedo and on the other, the femininity of sheer lace. It was a study in contrasts, and one that revealed the designer's ultimate strength: his take on sexy that's somehow always sophisticated, never contrived, and endlessly sought-after.

Le Smoking, Revisited

In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent revolutionized the world of tailoring—and who gets to participate—with the release of Le Smoking, the first tuxedo concept designed with women in mind. Since then, designers past and present have interpreted and reinterpreted the silhouette for their time. Creative director Vaccarello revisited the iconic suit for his fall 2026 collection, presenting a series of single and double-breasted suits that were striking in their precision and simplicity. Styled with bold crystal earrings, a dark lip, and presumably nothing but a great set of undergarments underneath, his relaxed tuxedoes take on an aura of both power and refinement, a conversation "between the parameters of masculinity and femininity," declare the show notes.

Lots of Lace

Vaccarello's take on sexy incorporates lace—and a lot of it. The majority of looks on the fall runway were defined by sheer lace, whether that meant lace pencil skirts layered with strappy lace tanks and bodysuits or floor-length lace gowns. In his show notes, the designer calls his approach "nocturnal elegance" and remarks that the attitude is "more insouciant shrug than swagger."

Drop-Waist Fur Coats

The excess and drama of the '80s has been an ongoing theme throughout designer Anthony Vaccarello's recent collections and while this runway had a quieter overtone than in seasons past, the era's codes showed up nonetheless in the form of drop-waist fur coats with plenty of volume and impact to balance out the show's pared-back opening looks. The coats featured shawl necklines, slouchy sleeves, and fluted skirts that made them less of a layering piece and more of a whole look in and of themselves.

It Piece to Know

Saint Laurent doesn't play when it comes to the accessories and models finished off their looks with just one of a few decisive styling pieces including wire-frame sunglasses, crystal statement earrings, glossy waist belts, and perhaps most notably, big, bejeweled brooches. The brooches were used as a sort of top button to fasten lace evening jackets that otherwise fell open over plunging lace bodysuits. We've been charting the antique accessory's rise over the course of the year but with a major stamp of approval from Saint Laurent, the accessory is set to be an It piece to know for fall.

The A-List Arrivals

The Saint Laurent show remains one of the most star-studded affairs of Paris Fashion Week, and this season's production only further cemented the French house's position at the heart of the cultural zeitgeist. House regulars like Zoë Kravitz and Kate Moss were present, of course but we were also delighted by appearances from the likes of Heated Rivalry star François Arnaud and Rosé, all of whom were decked out in their sleekest Saint Laurent-coded looks consisting of lots of cool tailoring.