EXCLUSIVE: Zara Taps Stefano Pilati for Coed Capsule

Zara has conscripted designer Stefano Pilati to translate his much-admired personal style into a capsule collection, WWD has learned.

About 50 styles for men and 30 for women, plus shoes and bags, are expected to go on sale in early October, backed by a campaign lensed by Steven Meisel.

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Contacted by WWD, Zara confirmed the project and the Meisel shoot, but said other details are still under wraps.

Best known for helming Yves Saint Laurent in Paris and Ermenegildo Zegna in Milan, Pilati has in recent years devoted himself to Random Identities, the gender-fluid menswear line he rebooted last year, with production and distribution handled by Dover Street Market Paris.

The Italian designer has also become, to his apparent puzzlement, an icon for young generations thanks to his inimitable, offhand elegance.

The tall, bearded designer has appeared on the cover of a number of magazines recently, including Ten and the Japanese title Grind. Up next: He’ll be fronting At Large magazine, according to sources.

Pilati caught the attention of fashion insiders by modeling Giorgio Armani, styled by him, for a fashion shoot in in Numéro Berlin in June 2022.

Last year, Pharrell Williams conscripted Pilati to walk the runway for his debut as Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of menswear, which had many in the crowd cheering. The high-profile event broadcast his commanding presence to a global audience.

He’s also been a recent front-row fixture at Dior men’s shows, thanks to his friendship with Kim Jones, that French maison’s men’s artistic director. Jones, who moonlights at Fendi for women’s collections, last year tapped Pilati for a fall collection under the Roman fashion house’s new “Friends of Fendi” banner.

Prized for his keen fashion instincts, voluptuous and distinctive tailoring — plus his knack for designing eye-catching shoes and handbags — Pilati also possesses a personal “je ne sais quoi,” which is rare in menswear.

He embraces his age, favors clothes that look good on him over what might be trendy, and carries himself with aplomb.

He headlines a surprisingly brief list of designers who wear mostly clothing of their own design, though his closet is peppered with choice pieces by Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garçons, Rick Owens and Prada.

Pilati is said to have a vast wardrobe, and is averse to purging, knowing styles he might not fancy today could return to his favor tomorrow.

More than that, he’s a strong believer in dressing well out of respect for others, and fashion itself; in dressing to match the occasion and to feel confident in that context, and being mindful of what clothes project to the world, and how they can boost one’s mood.

It is understood the Zara capsule will mark the first time Pilati has designed collections based largely on what he likes to wear.

While Random Identities is a personal project, unveiled in 2018, the genderless, seasonless and luxurious label draws on gay and club culture in Berlin, where Pilati has based himself since leaving Zegna in 2016 following a three-year stint.

According to sources, he quietly initiated the Zara project at the beginning of 2024, initially focused on menswear but ultimately expanded to womenswear.

He applied his exacting standards to fabric choice and fit, and was said to be impressed by what the Spanish fashion retailer is capable of producing at very approachable prices.

Hardly a stranger to Zara, he has enjoyed a strong rapport and friendship with Marta Ortega Pérez, the non-executive chair of Zara parent company Inditex, and has visited its headquarters in Arteixo, Spain, a few times over the years.

Zara has pursued an eclectic, more niche approach to collaborations that have helped elevate its brand image. It’s done ones with personalities including Meisel and Charlotte Gainsbourg; cultural phenoms Barbie and “Stranger Things”; sustainable textile firms Circ and LanzaTech, plus a range of in-the-know fashion labels such as Good American, Studio Nicholson and Korean streetwear label Ader Error.

Pilati came to international prominence when he succeeded Tom Ford at Yves Saint Laurent, where he served as creative director from 2004 to 2012. Earlier in his career he worked in senior design and fabric development positions for a number of Italian fashion houses, including Miu Miu, Prada and Giorgio Armani.

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