PHOTO COURTESY OF SAINT LAURENT
This summer, Saint Laurent trades polish for texture. The house reworks two familiar silhouettes, the Panier and the LouLou, in sun-bleached artisanal raffia. It’s a swap from studio-sleek leather to something warmer and distinctly tactile.
The small raffia Panier leans fully into its identity as the house’s beach-ready tote. Tightly woven raffia forms an open-top silhouette with a soft, structured base and contrast leather straps. Rather than stamping the YSL Cassandre monogram in metal, Saint Laurent works it directly into the weave. Whether you sling it over a linen shirt on a boat deck or tote it into a market for fresh produce, it lets the raffia do the talking.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SAINT LAURENT
The LouLou, meanwhile, takes a different route. The original made its name in matelassé quilted leather. This raffia iteration, however, keeps the chain-and-flap architecture but swaps the smooth body for chevron-crocheted raffia. Only the material changes while the structural DNA stays intact. The result is a resort-ready LouLou that moves from al fresco terrace lunch straight into a formal evening dinner.
Both bags appear against raw, sunbaked rock formations in campaign images, trading sterile studio backdrops for something unpolished. The setting suits the material well. Raffia is lightweight and breathable, and it improves with a little wear, picking up a lived-in patina over time.
Prices for the Panier Small start at SGD3060, before rising to SGD3320 for the LouLou Mini. For anyone building a summer capsule wardrobe, this raffia pairing from Saint Laurent certainly makes a strong case.
