Anthony Vaccarello, the Belgian-Italian designer who set up shop in Paris but a few years ago, has already garnered a few top honors for his seductive, precision-cut designs—notably at Hyères and from ANDAM (France’s equivalent to our Fashion Prize). But it’s this year’s appointment as creative director for Donatella Versace’s Versus that most recently propelled him even further into the spotlight. Vaccarello is the designer that the cool set turns to when looking for a no-holds-barred, bonafide sexbomb look with contemporary edge and a side of don’t-mess-with-me attitude.
Vaccarello focuses on drape and tailors his clothes to caress or gently hug the body in a way that is always daring but never coarse. The opening looks consisted of wraparound minis in military green and jet black held together with gold hardware and featuring decorative zippers and leather accents. There were also a number of pant looks, particularly jeans that were high-waisted and tapered and also with hardware at the hem. A slew of sheer tank dresses with mirror embellishments shimmered while others bore an all over stud cluster outlining Anja Rubik’s angular face, mouth slightly open, of course. A raspberry-hued dress with to-the-slit dress was an obvious head turner but even the more conservative looks, like a tailored white dress shirt with cobalt blue tattoo print of a rose bush snaking up the side had dangerous appeal. Here, Vaccarello served women a self-indulging collection that seemed to say, “I don’t care who’s watching.” Oh, but we all were.
