Show report: Yves Saint Laurent A/W'12

Stefano Pilati took us for a walk on the dark side for his final collection for Yves Saint Laurent

Stefano Pilati took us for a walk on the dark side for his final collection for Yves Saint Laurent.

The mood was set as Vampire-esque models with oil-slicked hair and blood-stained lips stomped out from the eerie background.

It was immediately evident that the waist was the focal point for Pilati, as coats, dresses and tunic tops came belted, some almost severely.

STEFANO PILATI DEPARTS YVES SAINT LAURENT

This hard-edged mood continued throughout the collection with leather, chainmail, lurex and fur, all hinting at dominatrix undertones.

Cigarette style trousers were teamed with fitted jackets or oversized round-necked leather tunics in bottle green or bruised red. Chainmail dresses, demurely cut to just below the knee, were contrasted with plunging v-necks. A full-length leather coat suggested moody gothic glamour while a shorter style with a pinkish sheen came with oversized lapels.

Calla lily prints were introduced early in the collection, the motif dotted on matching trouser suits, singularly oversized on a pencil skirt or flashed on a lapel. They also came in vivid pink and glittering gold.

But don’t think Pilati was getting soft; the flowers are often used to symbolise an early death. A poignant touch for Pilati’s terminal Yves Saint Laurent’s collection.

MORE FASHION NEWS