For the past few menswear collections, the one thing that has been a running theme is traditionalism. It feels like creative director Anthony Vaccarello has been looking back at heritage as one of the key inspirations for his designs. The men’s Summer 2026 collection ran in that same vein. Vaccarello also stated that the attire was a dedication to a lost generation of underground artists specifically New York City creatives Patrick Angus, Larry Stanton and Darrell Ellis.

In so many ways presenting the Summer 26 pieces at Pinault’s art palace in Paris made perfect sense. The setting was indeed a palette for the subtlety of the tones in the collection, presenting a delicacy and undenied class. With Vaccarello implementing extreme wide shouldering for a few seasons now, including the womenswear, that was surely on the frontline with blazers. Oversize was also the name of the game, yet done tastefully. There are early 80s tracings to the collection, specifically a new wave feel blended with a Parisian chic. Saint Laurent’s Summer 26 menswear collection proved that classicism will always have a place in fashion.