Candle chandeliers lined the Saint Laurent FW23 runway. Extravagant, gold ones that reflected a million times over in mirrors at the centre of the room. Through this myriad of mirrors, Anthony Vaccarello’s vision could be seen 360. The atmosphere evoked both a classic couture show and Yayoi Kusama’s Chandelier of Grief. The scene was inspired by the Salon Impérial of Paris’ Hôtel Inter-Continental, where the house presented all its couture shows between 1975 and 2001. The first was Yves’ Opéras – Ballets Russes FW76 collection.

“A potent mix of precision, emotion and reticence” read the show notes, distilling the essence of classic Saint Laurent style, combined with Vaccarello’s “own codes for a severely reconfigured take, reflective of the current moment.”

The room’s mirrored viewpoint proved an advantage when viewing a collection so defined by shape, silhouette and structure. Vaccarello’s starting reference was the classic YSL tailleur jupe (skirt suit), but resculptured by the designer to his own aesthetic. Shoulders defined looks: sharp and exaggerated – taking the 80s archetype and making it chic, elegant, powerful. These then drew into sleek shirts, or sometimes slim cashmere trousers. Helmet Newton would’ve loved it. Yves would’ve loved it.

Fabrics draped the body like those worn by Grecian deities. Wrapped and tied at the shoulder with gold brooches, they resembled matadors or highland warriors in their tartan and glen plaids from a land of hope and fury. At other times, fabric trains more resembled superhero capes, billowing in the wind. It was epic: blockbuster.

Antique gold belt buckles punctuated all-black looks, pussy-bows flowed from collars, and Aviator jackets were suped-up, less Maverick, more mammoth, altering silhouettes to new proportions. Wall Street pinstripes were cleansed of their toxic masculinity, instead imbued with lightness and sensuality, and chiffon, crepe-de-chine and mousseline were symbols of empowerment: “The Saint Laurent woman exposes her body when she desires and conceals it if she feels like it.”

Feelings by Nina Simone played, the eminent singer’s devastating vocals drowning the room in emotion, before a pulsing, sci-fi beat drew us back to the now, where Vaccarello’s cast of characters walked tall. The phrase ‘goosebump-moment’ doesn’t cover it.