To promote the launch of its spring 2017 collection on Nov. 9, Anthony Vaccarello — the former Versace designer who made his debut at the helm of Saint Laurent in October— released a short film starring hip-hop artist and music producer Travis Scott. Directed by Nathalie Canguilhem, it shows Scott and a cast of models on a languorous desert road trip, spliced with footage of a burning car and a swimming pool.
Vaccarello’s predecessor, Hedi Slimane, made deep inroads into southern California’s rock music community during his three years at the helm. He moved Saint Laurent’s design studio from Paris to Los Angeles; cast Sky Ferreira, Kim Gordon, Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson in his campaigns; and hired little-known bands to play at his shows. In the process, music became a central pillar of the Saint Laurent brand. It is a foundation that Vaccarello appears eager to build upon, albeit with a different cast of characters.