Anthony Vaccarello, creative director of Saint Laurent, has opened a new Paris flagship store at 37 Avenue Montaigne, housed in the former Canadian embassy. The store reflects his vision with a mix of modern design and vintage furniture, including pieces by Jean-Michel Frank and François-Xavier Lalanne, alongside contemporary artworks by Mark Bradford, Camille Henrot, and Thomas Houseago on loan from the Pinault Collection. Vaccarello discusses the two-year transformation, his approach to retail as a context for the clothes, and his broader creative expansions into film with Saint Laurent Productions and the revival of Charlotte Perriand furniture designs.
This matters because Vaccarello's tenure at Saint Laurent, approaching 10 years, demonstrates how a fashion house can evolve beyond clothing into a holistic cultural enterprise, blending fashion, design, art, and cinema. The flagship store exemplifies a shift from minimalist retail to a more curated, collector-like environment that engages with art and design history, potentially influencing how luxury brands present themselves. It also highlights the growing intersection between fashion and the visual art world, as seen in the collaboration with the Pinault Collection and the emphasis on living with art objects.