Saint Laurent’s strong-shouldered spring 2025 suit diktat was always going to divide Anthony Vaccarello’s clique. Would Kate Moss, for example, really teleport herself back to the ’80s in one of those body-enveloping office sets? Zoë Kravitz surely isn’t ready to hang up the sheer looks that have become the bread and butter of her wardrobe.
Good news, then, for Hailey Bieber, who was on the hunt for an outfit that screamed, not quietly inferred, “boss bitch” for a Rhode launch—the first Rhode launch, in fact, following the birth of her first child. Vaccarello’s swaggering silhouettes fit the bill nicely.
The draw of this hot-off-the-runway YSL tailoring is it not only singles the businesswoman out as a sartorial risk taker (it takes guts to pull off shoulder pads, let alone go the whole hog and model the thick-rimmed glasses worn by Bella Hadid on the runway). The oversized grey separates, which were directly inspired by the uniform of Yves Saint Laurent, show Bieber has not just read the brand’s Cliff Notes, she’s done her homework. Her slicked-back hair with one honeycombed strand left framing her glazed cheekbones spelled out the fact she has also bought into the entire narrative. Yes, Hailey is on maternity leave (is that a thing in Hollywood?), but she’s no fair weather Saint Laurent muse.
Vaccarello couldn’t have asked for a better endorsement of his starched shirts and ties. Accessorized to the hilt, Bieber looked every inch the blinged-out brand founder about to drop a serious amount of cash in Sushi Park. It’s a boardroom-adjacent vibe we best associate with Rihanna, who freely mixes menswear with vintage, sportswear and trophy jewellery while keeping us guessing regarding her next move. But were Rih to dabble in Saint Laurent’s XL suits, the archive enthusiast would, of course, go right back to the source. The ultimate power play is being a true original.
And for those Vaccarello It-girls worried about the impact on their personal brand by not buying into the louche tailoring, well, there’s a host of maximalist eveningwear also on offer for spring 2025. Who will wear those canary-coloured lace and jewel-toned brocade sets first in the game of fashion?
