Wearing gold, in any capacity, is a brazen statement. Sporting head-to-toe gold suggests you want to be seen – it’s hard to look away from someone cocooned in a Oscar-trophy-hue dress – and even a smattering of shine can catch the light and draw attention. To this point: it can be tempting to steer clear of gold tones, but when styled right, a gilded palette can be an elegant alternative to the red and silver sequins that are ubiquitous during the festive period.

Anthony Vaccarello’s final show for Saint Laurent featured 49 golden looks.

Yves Saint Laurent made gold his signature – as seen at spring/summer 1981 couture.

How far you choose to dabble is entirely down to personal preference. Last week, Hailey Bieber, Rosé and Zoë Kravitz went all in at the CFDA Awards, where the trio presented Anthony Vaccarello with the International Designer of the Year award dressed in aureate lace-and-lamé designs from his spring/summer 2027 Saint Laurent collection, with molten razor-sharp stilettos to match.

The looks tallied three of 49 gold ensembles that were presented at Vaccarello’s final show, set against the backdrop of the sparkling Eiffel Tower. During his tenure, the designer built a vision centred around after-dark dressing. Although he predominantly focused on black, for his departing collection he was inspired by a historic Yves Saint Laurent quote: “It’s a magical colour, when reflecting a woman, it’s the colour of the sun.”

Coated-jersey rugby shirts by London designer Talia Byre are a favourite among fashion insiders.

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Fashion insiders are poised for the retail drop of his glitzy spring/summer collection, and time will tell if it will create a frenzy similar to Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel debut, which flew off the shelves of its Rue stores and in global airport outposts when it launched. While there are still several months to wait for his gilded offering, Vaccarello’s single-shade focus has already influenced the wider market, with gold rendered in many fabrications and finishes. Here’s how to wear it for evening escapades – and the office.