Catwalk on a Sand Dune's Crest - Saint Laurent Takes Distancing in its Stride

Saint Laurent’s presentation of its 2021 Women’s Summer collection showed models walking on the crest of a tall sand dune in the middle of a honey-colored desert. (Saint Laurent)
Saint Laurent’s presentation of its 2021 Women’s Summer collection showed models walking on the crest of a tall sand dune in the middle of a honey-colored desert. (Saint Laurent)
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Catwalk on a Sand Dune's Crest - Saint Laurent Takes Distancing in its Stride

Saint Laurent’s presentation of its 2021 Women’s Summer collection showed models walking on the crest of a tall sand dune in the middle of a honey-colored desert. (Saint Laurent)
Saint Laurent’s presentation of its 2021 Women’s Summer collection showed models walking on the crest of a tall sand dune in the middle of a honey-colored desert. (Saint Laurent)

There were no spectators, no influencers, no fashionistas, at Saint Laurent’s presentation of its 2021 Women’s Summer collection, only drone footage of models walking on the crest of a tall sand dune in the middle of a honey-colored desert.

Every year, France’s top fashion houses compete to find the most spectacular locations in Paris to host their women’s wear shows, but with catwalks closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, brands now try do outdo each other with spectacular locations for their online-only shows.

Already in the first wave of the pandemic in April, Saint Laurent, owned by the Kering conglomerate, broke away from the usual twice-yearly calendar of women’s catwalk shows in Paris.

It revealed its latest collection on Tuesday, designed by Anthony Vaccarello, with a 10-minute Vaccarello fashion film called “I wish you were here”.

Models, some of them struggling to walk in the sand with high heels, showed off sensuous evening wear, others boardroom-ready conservative pantsuits.

The models also donned tight-fitting ribbed skirts under black leather jackets, figure-hugging black dresses with a top-to-bottom zipper, sheer halter dresses and gold-and-black brocade jackets.

The looks were interspersed with some flowing dresses with floral motives. Many models sported YSL-branded mini beltbags to match.

As night fell over the desert - Saint Laurent declined to reveal the location, only saying it was “a desert in the north” - models walked along a ridge of fire burning on the dune’s crest, the flames reflected in the evening sparkle, gold embroidery and Claude Lalanne-designed jewelry.

Saint Laurent said the film was “an invitation for escapism”, without specifying from what. From COVID-19, presumably, and from the year 2020.



Shein Faces 150-mn-euro Fine in France

FILE PHOTO: A view of a Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore April 4, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A view of a Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore April 4, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo/File Photo
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Shein Faces 150-mn-euro Fine in France

FILE PHOTO: A view of a Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore April 4, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A view of a Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore April 4, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo/File Photo

E-commerce giant Shein faces a possible 150-million-euro ($175-million) fine in France for failing to properly get consent to track users on the internet.

The regulator, the CNIL, faulted the fast-fashion retailer for using trackers called cookies that enable for targeted advertising to users without their approval as required in Europe, or for using a confusing method to get consent.

It also found during a 2023 inspection that when users refused the tracking cookies Shein continued to read information from them.

Given the firm has the technical and staff resources necessary to comply with the regulations its behavior was negligent, said CNIL.

Shein had recently complied with the regulations, it added.

A final decision on fining the fast-fashion giant should come within weeks.

Shein called the proposed amount of the fine "disproportionate", in a statement sent to AFP.

"Since August 2023 we have actively worked with the CNIL to ensure our compliance and respond to their queries," the China-founded firm said.

This additional possible fine from the CNIL follows a record 40 million-euro penalty it received last week from France's competition and anti-fraud office over "deceptive commercial practices" by misleading customers on price deals and on its environmental impact.