Yves Saint Laurent
Paris Spring 2009

(PARIS) Stefano Pilati has made his name as a statement-maker. Case in point: fall's noir bobs and lips. For Spring, the message wasn't quite as straightforward, but it was no less relevant. There was a Japanese undercurrent, as kimono tailoring informed jackets and skirts. Transparency, the trend that simply won't quit this season, worked wonderfully in an olive blouse shown over a full-coverage same-color bra and paired with a slick skirt. But it was the caged booties that had editors salivating, and not just because one can actually imagine walking in them from show to show to show. When the material showed up in a belted coat on Heidi Mount, the frenzy for more was finally satiated. But it was those drop-crotch pants, appearing in several lengths and paired with boyfriend jackets, that are sure to have repercussions in the fast fashion realm--although it's hard to imagine any moving as beautifully as Pilati's.