At Yves Saint Laurent, the message was at the end of the show, when creative director Stefano Pilali took his bow. He traditionally wears a suit but this time, he took his bow in a beige jogging suit and runners. Mr P decided to start the show with a short film by Bruce Weber (below) that is funny, sexy and definitely geared to a much younger group than the current clientele of Yves Saint Laurent. That was another powerful statement. For this season's collection, the usually snug fitting double-breasted suit was cut loosely, the tuxedo tail jacket was transformed into a coat lined with shearling and the pants were cut wider. In a fashionscape dominated by skinny suits, skinnier ties, and corset-tight leather jackets, YSL continued to cruise along, doing the very French thing. Billowy, soft-shouldered overcoats, gray flannel harem pants, and -for the man who can't decide whether to hit the slopes or to retire to the parlor- glen plaid, bib-front wool overalls. Confidence required; swaggering masculinity, less so. This very relaxed collection actually set the stage for Stefano Pilati’s entrance in sweat pants and sweat shirt, which absolutely was the strongest message of the season.
