The design world’s contemporary tendency toward maximalism is here to stay, at least for now. In the same trend that brought the grandmillennial decor phenomenon to the homes of young people everywhere, retro colors and patterns have recently resurfaced on social media, perhaps in an effort to distract from stay-at-home tedium. The piece on every tastemaker’s Instagram feed now? The Ultrafragola mirror by Memphis Group founder Ettore Sottsass.
Seizing on this moment of nostalgia, Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello has dropped a capsule collection in collaboration with the legendary Italian design group as part of the fashion brand’s Rive Droite line. The collection, which features both wearable and decorative art, marries the sleekness and luxury of Saint Laurent with the 1980s candy of Memphis Milano, and allows those savvy design connoisseurs to bring their favored decor to their wardrobes.
Vaccarello’s cheeky capsule collection seamlessly translates the futuristic wit of Memphis Milano into clothing: easy streetwear that still feels like Saint Laurent—sharp, simple, clean—but imbued with 1980s vim. Sneakers and hoodies feel playful and of the moment; a pair of hot pink dresses preserve trademark Saint Laurent silhouettes while stamped with squiggles straight out of Saved By the Bell.
The partnership coincides with Memphis Milano’s 40th anniversary—in 1981, the group, under Sottsass, launched their postmodern wares, bringing minimalist yet whimsical pieces to the forefront of contemporary design. An exhibition at Saint Laurent’s two Rive Droite stores—on Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills—coincides with the collection’s launch and includes iconic pieces of the era like Masanori Umeda’s Boxing Ring seating unit and Sottsass’s Carlton room divider. Curated under Vaccarello’s stead, the Rive Droite collection seeks to “democratize” modern luxury, and his timeless and chic poise at Saint Laurent meets its match in Memphis Milano’s colorful cheek.
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