It’s only getting better. The result of Vaccarello’s efforts this season is a handsome collection of contemporary clothing worthy of a thoroughly modern rockstar – fuzzy knitwear is shot through with primary reds, blues and yellows, sitting next to the familiar, moody monochrome shapes of cropped jackets, slim trousers and super-sharp leather blazers accessorised with engulfing scarves that hang down to the ankles; it’s all quintessentially Parisian, which is to say stylish in that frustratingly nonchalant way, but nonetheless easy to wear.

And while the clothes are keepers, the bags are perhaps the part of the collection that feels most timeless. Indeed, the charm of a new bag has perhaps taken on a new appeal post-pandemic. Along with “going out” clothes, our bags have sat gathering dust at the foot of the wardrobe, and it feels like an appropriate time for a new one. Comprised of technical backpacks you can take on your return to the office and drawstring leather bags printed with a subtle rendering of the YSL monogram (so thin that it looks as though there are stripes on the surface of the leather), these accessories lend the rest of an outfit a helping of gravitas without the need to shout about it. Wherever we’re taking them, they’re investment pieces that will prove endlessly useful even for the non-rockstars among us.

Then there’s the shoes, which SAINT LAURENT always does particularly well. They deserve due attention this season: the black leather penny loafers are perfect for a stroll along the banks of the Seine and are suave enough to be worn in most off-duty situations. For something slightly more adventurous, see the patent leather boots; animal print has been a core part of SAINT LAURENT’s DNA since its inception, and Vaccarello has refined the focus on it to great effect with the black and white cowhide print on the buckles, which will no doubt look the part with a black pair of SAINT LAURENT slim-fit trousers to allow the buckle detail to stand out.

Aside from the monogram, there are other fascinating references to the house’s legacy to be found. The Rive Gauche lettering that is debossed on the leather tote nods to the name of Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent’s first boutique, which he opened in a former antiques store in the mid-1960s. It was there the legendary designer began to focus more on ready-to-wear as opposed to haute couture, to reflect the changing tastes of the time that were more about playing around with clothes and mixing them together rather than creating a “full look”, and its name is referenced to great effect on the tote.

That sense of change feels almost familiar, and it could be said that an echo of this snippet of fashion history seems to be happening in menswear right now, too – in a time that a lot of us feel a decreasing need to follow dress codes, we’re instead freer to dress exactly as we please, if only we can find the confidence to do so. And if that involves wearing clothes that make us feel like a Parisian rockstar with a great pair of shoes and a sophisticated bag to take us on our way, we welcome it.