Saint Laurent

Denim #YSL41 Fall 2021 Ad Campaign

Review of Saint Laurent Denim #YSL41 Fall 2021 Ad Campaign by Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello with Director/Photographer Gray Sorrenti with talents Romeo Beckham, Hailey Bieber, Sonny Hall, Megan Miles, & Anok Yai

Saint Laurent shares a new denim campaign by photographer Gray Sorrenti that feels powerful and evocative despite its stripped-back simplicity.

With its very straightforward studio portraiture approach, the campaign must rely on the talent of its models, and on the strength of its designs and styling, to make its impact. Saint Laurent knows what they’re doing, and so the campaign delivers on both of these fronts. As far as the models go, everybody knows how to be super sexy and nobody knows how to use any of the buttons on their shirts. One particularly striking shot is centered on a bedazzled YSL undies-clad butt.

The gender-fluid styling is the strongest element of the campaign. The choices are made not with regard to what gender of person should be wearing what, but simply to what looks good. Romeo Beckham sizzles in a chic, Chanel-like jacket; Anok Yai is deadly in a chunky oversized denim jacket. Everybody looks good in cut-off jeans. In this connection, the imagery proves that the recent resurgence in short shorts on men has been long overdue.

With some well-deployed sex appeal and excellently androgynous styling, the campaign manages to make distressed denim staples feel powerful and exciting.

Saint Laurent Creative Director | Anthony Vaccarello
Director/Photographer | Gray Sorrenti
Talents | Romeo Beckham, Hailey Bieber, Sonny Hall, Megan Miles, & Anok Yai
Music | “Southern Winds” by Arsun