Anthony Vaccarello Debuts at Saint Laurent

Anthony Vaccarello Debuts at Saint Laurent

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Before Anthony Vaccarello was Anthony Vaccarello of Saint Laurent-back when he had his own private label and was part of the mix of emerging directors inside SPACE-we asked him what one word would describe his always party-ready, dance-til-dawn looks.

His answer? Sharp.

All images: Indigital Images

On Tuesday inside the shell of post-industrial grandeur, the Italian-Belgian designer debuted as Anthony Vaccarello of Saint Laurent Paris by sending out an army of sharply dressed babeswho were ready for any party-and the world.

SPACE buyer Raul Becerra has known the designer for several years, having supported and nurtured him and his collections. As the show was about to begin, his excitement for his friend and colleague was palpable. "This is really so exciting for him; what a huge opportunity," he remarked. "The thing that I've always responded to from Vaccarello is his tailoring-especially with the leather pieces."

And sure enough, the first looks to appear were expertly fitted, body-accentuated dresses and separates in Anthony's favorite nighttime/nightclub vibe.

Black predominated-in leather, denim, vinyl, velvet and lace, but animal prints and hints as well as loose, light denim (and a little bit of color) gave it context and cool variation. As the designer recently told Vogue.com, "I wanted to have fun. I wanted to have a clin d'oeil-a wink-to Yves Saint Laurent... My idea of YSL lies in the attitude."

True to the brand, the attitude of women on the runway was one of pure confidence. Nordstrom's VP of Designer Apparel, Jennifer Wheeler, noted after the show that " even when the looks were really edgy they had a polished vibe -the borrowed-from-the-boys denim was paired back to tailored pieces and those great high heels," she noted as an example.

The accessories were a particular call-out for Jennifer. "There are going to be lots of shoes to covet next spring," she remarked. From the statement single-sole stilettos to the boyish oxfords-most often shown with socks and micro minis-there was a strong sense of personality, style, and that classic YSL mix of urban sex appeal and cool menswear.

"The touches of gold, the opulence of the velvet-it had a very late '80s/early '90s feeling," Jennifer said, noting the tough, gritty vibe as well as the pervading sensual one. "The collection had a street edge, and it was very young and fresh-but there was always a sense of being dressed-up and sophisticated."

The next step for Jennifer and her team is to get inside the showroom where they'll be able to look at each of the pieces that make up the whole, and select which styles and ideas they'll bring into our stores this February as we continue to showcase the evolution of this iconic and highly coveted brand.

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-Laura Cassidy

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