On Wednesday evening Venice, and in particular the Isola della Certosa, became the backdrop for Saint Laurent‘s Men’s Spring Summer 22 fashion show. For the occasion, the brand’s creative director, Anthony Vaccarello, commissioned American artist Doug Aitken to create an installation that would act as a catwalk and create a futuristic yet natural setting. 

The American artist immediately thought of creating a reflective structure, using panels of Alucobond, a composite material consisting of two aluminium sheets and a plastic core. This is not the first time Doug Aitken has dealt with mirrored materials: his Mirage Detroit is iconic, a completely mirrored house built inside the former Michigan Savings Bank, an installation that has since been re-presented in various sites, such as in the desert outside Palm Spring or in the Swiss Alps. 

The work for the Saint Laurent fashion show is called Green Lens and is presented as a decagonal structure that can be crossed in any direction. In addition to the reflective surfaces, however, another central element of the installation are the plants: rich vegetation covers a large part of the structure, infinitely reflected in it. 

The natural element was also present during the fashion show: while the models presented their new creations, it was possible to hear natural sounds in the background, previously recorded on Certosa Island. 

Such a work could not be used just once, so Green Lens will remain on the island until the end of July as a public artwork, but Saint Laurent’s commitment does not end there. The plants used for the installation will be donated to the island and the brand has declared its commitment to restoring the ruins of the Charterhouse cloister.