ANTHONY VACARELLO FOR SAINT LAURENT
There was much fanfare when Hedi Slimane removed Yves from the Saint Laurent line, essentially transforming the house with his signature rocker-chic aesthetic. After he dramatically left Saint Laurent, the trajectory of the brand meant that the perfect person to replace him was, and only in my humble opinion, was Anthony Vacarello. Heading his namesake brand, and then leading Versus Versace, he has defined the modern sensuality of the century. His intelligent cuts, slits, and necklines are a masterclass in seduction, leaving a mysterious desire for both the men and women. For his debut collection for Saint Laurent, he opted to bring it back home to Paris, but creating his own cool corner inside an empty building where the rugged concrete walls, mirrored ceilings, and a neon YSL sign hanging from a crane ushered in their new leader. This first collection was an ode to the YSL working woman, with Anthony diving headfirst into the archives and spinning into his own by making it sexier than expected. For his succeeding outings, Vacarello didn’t hold back to show the world who his YSL woman is. He took what Hedi started and blew it up into crazy proportions, making every look his, and YSL’s, own. From models walking on water to having a show that had the best view of the Eiffel tower, Anthony was hitting all the right mark as his creations, from power shoulders, exaggerated leather bows, and fully feathered tube dresses, as well as of neon dresses and bombshell suit-swimsuit hybrids. As it stands, he has successfully taken Saint Laurent to new heights with an increase of 27.3% in sales just after his first full year with the luxury brand.