Dramatic, drippy candles lined the walls as champagne and canapés were passed inside the elegant but darkly illuminated cavernous 11 Rue de la Banque in Paris. Friends, business insiders, and Paris Fashion Week attendees captured pictures in the soft glow of the light, caught up on rumors, and lined up to greet none other than former YSL creative director Stefano Pilati, 2004–2012. The celebration is October 3, 2024, Pilato’s much-awaited joint venture with Zara.
Laughing, he said, “The whole collection is my favorite thing.” “Everything is all about me anyway.” Marta Ortega Pérez, chair of Inditex, Zara’s parent company, was co-hosting the event; some of Pilati’s closet friends were already sporting pieces from the collection, including suits with dramatic and oversized proportions, deep V-neck mini dresses with suiting inspired details and, of course, nods to his ongoing work at YSL and his brand, Random Identities. Clearly identifiable in the assortment are menswear, womenswear, and accessories. Of the collection, he remarked, “I thought it was the right time.” “The process went so slowly and it was interesting; I knew I was part of the team.”
Steven Meisel, lensing the lookbook with Gisele Bundchen and Pilati personally drew a megawatt audience straight from fashion royalty. Along with Kate Moss, Lila Moss, Iris Law, Romeo Beckham, and more fashion industry stars, including Pat McGrath, Guido Palau, and Carlyne Cerf De Dudzeele, Bündchen was there.
