Under the creative direction of Anthony Vaccarello, the campaign brings together Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Christopher Walken in a black-and-white narrative exploring the contrast between youthful impulse and mature composure.
Saint Laurent has revealed its Winter 2025 menswear campaign, directed creatively by Anthony Vaccarello and captured through the lens of renowned photographer and filmmaker Glen Luchford. The campaign stars actors Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Christopher Walken.
Luchford’s cinematic style delivers a powerful series of black-and-white portraits and a short film that stages an imagined dialogue between two emotional states: the reckless intensity of youth and the thoughtful calm of age. Taylor-Johnson represents the former, evoking a sensual and provocative aura reminiscent of 1970s Yves Saint Laurent campaigns. Walken, on the other hand, exudes a controlled and charismatic maturity.
The collection strikes a balance between raw intimacy and a distinct 1980s aesthetic. Visually, it draws inspiration from Robert Mapplethorpe’s 1983 campaign for Saint Laurent. Luchford channels Mapplethorpe’s signature tension between eroticism and formal rigor, portraying opposing elements such as flesh and fabric, discipline and softness, humor and gravity, tradition and rebellion.
Taylor-Johnson’s scenes express an emotional arc—from anguish to obsession to release. His performance includes flashes of sensuality and levity, offering contrast to the campaign’s darker tone, culminating in a hopeful final moment marked by a subtle smile.
Walken’s film segment unfolds more slowly. Initially enigmatic and brooding, his character eventually radiates a sense of inner peace, hinting at a deep emotional spectrum beneath his stoic demeanor.
The campaign is described as embodying “somber elegance,” a core characteristic of the Saint Laurent brand. Despite its stylized melancholy, the narrative ultimately conveys a message of resolution and emotional complexity.
