With identical short, black, fringed bobs hiding their eyes and dark plum staining their lips, the Yves Saint Laurent models marched through the bright, white, modernist tent in the Grand Palais to a hyper-techno beat with a precision that matched the impeccable and passionate tailoring of their clothes.
Stefano Pilati’s new look for YSL:
There was just one look for each – “I’ve learnt not to try and show every single thing,” said creative director, Stefano Pilati – and not a single handbag on show. “Everyone knows we do bags, why clutter?”
This autumn/winter 08/09 was a master class in tradition and tomorrow’s new world of fashion.
“It’s more intriguing if the link is more abstract, no?” said Pilati. “I wanted to define the silhouette with new shapes that were slightly out of balance.”
This meant vaguely 18th century cutaways and military gilets in khaki cashmere with fine Donegal tweed trousers and sculpted black leather spencers with chocolate cashmere zoave pants; a wide-sleeved top in tweed bisected with black cashmere, with a slim tweed skirt or a similarly-cut shift in the same duality of fabric.
A romantic, billowing-sleeved, white organza blouse came with a more disciplined, slim skirt in a black, new velvet flock fabrication; a sleeveless, bright yellow cocktail dress with wide, rounded A-line skirt in a revived couture silk intersected with a half-moon of the black velvet at the midriff. A cool, pale steel top in the same silk featured a two-tone skirt, the top half black, the lower, the matching grey.
Lapels were deep and rounded, waists cinched with belts which were corset-laced behind and many of the shorter jackets featured a slightly raised peplum at the back, the better to show off the waist.
A cream cashmere, deep-V-necked, hip-length jacket was tightly belted, its hem appliquéd with black geometric motifs, inspired by the artist, Joseph Arbels, while hint-of-Cossack tunics, with off-centre buttoning, were belted over double-layer, asymmetric skirts which fell in deep folds, both in walnut-brown cashmere.
The palette of browns, greys, creams and black, was only occasionally disturbed by a sunburst of yellow, a flash of turquoise and the unexpected jolt of sky-blue on the soles of the high, black patent and suede boots.
A studded choker, a necklet of turquoise and brass and a five-inch brass cuff with rows of chiseled holes, whispered of the souk in Marrakkesh – but that was the only jewellery. 
Earlier this week saw the opening in Paris of the first in a worldwide chain of refurbished YSL boutiques.
The historic Saint Sulpice store, on the Left Bank, inspiration for Saint Laurent’s original Rive Gauche line of luxury ready-to-wear, which first opened its doors in 1979, has been remodeled with a new interpretation by Pilati, in consultation with the architects Moatti + Rivière.
The concept is taken from the YSL perfume, Opium, and includes shiny lacquered surfaces, polished brass and stone and parquet flooring.
