Saint Laurent has released its Winter 2025 menswear campaign under the creative direction of Anthony Vaccarello, with photography and film by Glen Luchford. The campaign features Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Christopher Walken in a visual narrative that contrasts youthful intensity with mature restraint.
Luchford, known for his cinematic approach, presents a series of black-and-white portraits alongside a short film. The images and film centre on an imagined dialogue between two emotional states: the impulsiveness of youth and the composed reflection of age.
Taylor-Johnson embodies the former, portrayed with provocative sensuality that nods to the aesthetic of Yves Saint Laurent campaigns from the 1970s. Walken, by contrast, brings a more subdued and commanding presence. Together, the two performances anchor a collection that blends raw intimacy with a strong 1980s influence.
The work of Robert Mapplethorpe serves as a key visual reference, particularly his 1983 campaign for Saint Laurent. Luchford channels Mapplethorpe’s trademark synthesis of eroticism and formal precision to explore opposing forces such as flesh and fabric, discipline and softness, humour and gravity, tradition and defiance, strength and fragility.
Taylor-Johnson’s scenes capture a full emotional arc, from anguish to obsessive passion to catharsis. His portrayal includes moments of lightness and sensuality, which contrast with the darker tone of the overall production. The film concludes on a note of hope, marked by a subtle but affirming smile.
Walken’s film segment offers a slower evolution. His character transitions from a cryptic, brooding presence to one of contentment, illustrating a nuanced range of emotion beneath the surface.
The campaign is described as exuding a “somber elegance” that remains quintessentially Saint Laurent, emphasising duality throughout. Despite the stylised gloom, the collection ultimately communicates a message of resolution and emotional depth.
