Anthony Vaccarello beefed up his fall collection with a little help from the heartland, using his extensive American travels as inspiration for a collection that was country Western by way of French chic.
“I didn’t want to make it literal,” said Vaccarello. His point of view is distinctly Parisian, sharp and narrow in its ultrasexy scope characterized by skirts that resemble tailored loincloths. He didn’t lengthen hemlines or design anything that would remotely qualify as conservative, but Americans are known for having meat on their bones, and Vaccarello’s slick interpretation of rodeo leathers, cowboy belts, fringe, stars and bolo ties gave his audience something to chew on. And think about: Was that red-and-black number a dress, pants and shorts all in one look?
The clothes were sophisticated and substantial in tailored black with sleek silver hardware and rich brown suedes. A black jacket dress was sliced with a plunging neck, slung with a wide leather belt and a big — but precise — silver buckle. The bolos were reimagined as sharp silver pins piercing the neck of a leather shirt and spokelike silver fringe dangled off diagonally cut skirts. Stars were the most notable decorative motif, appearing as sharp hardware cutouts on a black dress that was a micromini on one side and knee-length on the other, grommeted on the hem of a suede skirt worn with a matching collared shirt. It wasn’t an outfit for riding a bull, but it could most certainly wrangle a man.