Stefano Pilati began his first menswear presentation for Yves Saint Laurent by projecting iconic images from the sixties and seventies of the house s namesake and founder—the same pictures that line the building s entry halls. Then, followed a collection that was clearly shaped by this idealized vision of a Frenchman s style—most obviously in the slim silhouette with the strong shoulder and in the bold colors, like cobalt blue, peachy pink, and deep army green (the Italian designer favored more-coordinated combinations than the clashing combos preferred by Saint Laurent). Pilati s respect for the YSL legacy shone through in classics like pea coats, safari tops, and little military jackets, as well as in Liberty-like floral prints from the label s archives. He rendered these more modern by softening and lightening them—all without giving away the undeniable strength of that signature silhouette.
