Stefano Pilati and Zara Fête Their Timeless Collaboration in Paris

Inside the chic and dimly lit cavernous 11 Rue De La Banque in Paris, dramatic drippy candles lined the walls as champagne and canapés were passed. In the gentle glow of the light, friends, industry insiders, and denizens of Paris Fashion Week snapped selfies, caught up on gossip, and lined up to say hello to none other than Stefano Pilati, former YSL creative director from 2004 to 2012. The occasion? Pilato’s new hotly anticipated collaboration with Zara, which is out October 3, 2024.

“The whole collection is my favorite thing,” he said with a laugh. “It s all about me anyway.” Marta Ortega Pérez, chair of Inditex, Zara’s parent company, was co-hosting the event, and some of Pilati’s closet friends were already wearing pieces from the collection, which include suits with dramatic and oversized proportions, deep V-neck mini dresses with suiting inspired details and of course, nods to his indelible work at YSL and his own brand Random Identities. The collection includes menswear, womenswear, and accessories, which is certainly instantly recognizable. “I thought it was the right time,” he said of the collection. “The process went so fluidly and it was interesting and I knew I was part of the team.”

With Steven Meisel lensing the lookbook starring Gisele Bundchen and Pilati himself, the celebration attracted a megawatt crowd plucked straight from fashion royalty. Bündchen was there, along with Kate Moss, Lila Moss, Iris Law, Romeo Beckham, and more fashion industry legends, including Pat McGrath, Guido Palau, and Carlyne Cerf De Dudzeele.