Reigning Yves Saint Laurent fashion designer Stefano Pilati has proven he knows a thing or two about the rules of style. One is that pants are often sexier than a g-string

It’s not uncommon for fashion designers to struggle for years to develop an identifiable signature. Once in a while, however, a newcomer appears on the scene with a perfectly honed aesthetic that encapsulates the fashion moment. In just four seasons, Stefano Pilati has created a look that not only reflects his own sense of style but also honors the considerable legacy of Yves Saint Laurent.  “What Stefano did was very, very strong right out of the gate,” says Robert Burke, former fashion director of Bergdorf Goodman. “I think he is having enormous influence in regard to volume and silhouette—his clothes are quintessentially Saint Laurent, but they are also really modern. He made a distinctive departure from Tom Ford’s sexual imagery. Now, when you think of collections that are influential in the fashion world, Yves Saint Laurent with Stefano at the head comes to mind immediately.”

For his Fall 2006 presentation, Pilati went for tough-edged leather blouses, PVC trenches, mink bows, and formfitting metallic cocktail dresses. His rigorous pieces were toned down with tunics and tops that buttoned in the back, and tailored suits that brought to mind the sharp allure of Catherine Deneuve in  the 1970s. At a time when fashion is embracing coolly sophisticated and sober dressing, Pilati’s strong-minded statements hit the nail square on the head. Armand Limnander

ARMAND LIMNANDER Tell me about your professional trajectory. I know you didn’t actually study fashion…
STEFANO PILATI I studied environmental design, but only because I was pressured by my family. They wanted me to do something that was a bit more safe and lucrative than fashion. But I hated it. I really didn’t belong, so I didn’t even finish. I had the opportunity to go work at Cerruti doing men’s clothes and fabric research. After that I had an internship at a big department store, did styling for magazines, then worked at Prada and Miu Miu before going with Tom Ford to Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.
AL When you were appointed at Yves Saint Laurent, did you make a conscious decision to do something radically different from Ford?
SP I did what I felt was right for the moment. My work is a balance between what I love, what women actually need, and what the house stands for. Yves Saint Laurent has a great couture history so there are always very luxurious touches to make the clothes as personalized as possible. I was looking for a kind of pureness in the lines. And I wanted everything to be finished, with no raw edges.
AL How do you approach luxury?
SP A few years ago people were looking for luxury and status expressed in an overt way. Somehow that doesn’t feel right now. If you’re someone who can really follow fashion, you probably already live in a luxurious kind of atmosphere. I think these days the mood is a lot more subtle. You don’t necessarily want to wear a bright Swarovski dress when there are wars and disasters and so many things going on.
AL Where does that leave sexiness?
SP For me, sexiness is more about the imagination than what you can actually see. It’s about showing something that is not obvious, about how comfortable you are with your body even if it is not perfect, or how you move and speak, or what your interests are. I build a story around the attraction that I feel toward a man or a woman, and that for me is much more sexy than seeing that man or woman naked. Or half-naked. I prefer to imagine a man wearing a pair of pants without any underwear than the same man wearing a G-string. I’d rather imagine him changing into his swimsuit than to just see him in a bathing suit.
AL So you would never do a naked campaign like Yves Saint Laurent did in 1971 with Jeanloup Sieff?
SP There was a reason for that. Saint Laurent was doing a fragrance ad, so it made sense in that context. Plus, it was something revolutionary at the time. When I was posing for the portrait for this article, Mario Sorrenti asked me to take my shirt off and that was fine. He is an amazing photographer, so you have to go with his vision and let him do what he thinks will look best.
AL Is the new Yves Saint Laurent man pansexual? I know you have dated both men and women in the past.
SP [Laughs] Well, what can I say? Let’s say Yes. Sexuality is something that, thank God, is quite open. There are many things involved in love and attraction.
AL What do you love the most about your work?
SP It makes me dream. Beauty and elegance can be very positive forces if you embrace them in the right way. Fashion makes me feel alive and linked to the moment, because it is always evolving. But I hate fashion when it doesn’t make sense—when it’s too trendy, over-the-top, or overwhelming. I don’t like it when people embrace fashion only for the glamour of it. I think glamour is certainly there, but it’s really the shallow aspect of fashion. I’m more interested in fashion when it can say something sociologically.
AL What interests you outside of fashion?
SP Music. If there’s great music I just can’t stop dancing. I go crazy. I come from the ’80s, when there really were party people. As a fashion designer, I have always suffered when comparing myself to rock stars who can go onstage and scream a love song and give so much to the audience. I always think to myself, “With a dress you will never be able to communicate everything.” But I still try and express as much of myself as possible.
AL Would you ever consider launching your own label?
SP Yes and no. I’ve never had a big ego, and I don’t think designers should be celebrities. I mean, Rem Koolhaas does not do red carpets, so why should I? Red carpets are for actors. Still, it’s funny because nowadays you have to expose yourself and embrace this role. You know, it’s part of the deal. And then you start to listen to people talk about you and compliment you. And then all of a sudden, you think, But what if I did something…under my name? I think this is something that is purely ego-driven, so when that comes into my mind I just say to myself, “Shut up and go to work; this is your job.” Right now I think it would be a mistake if I were to start my own line.
AL You recently turned 40. Has Mama Pilati finally forgiven you for quitting environmental design?
SP [Laughs] Now she has. I mean, come on. But I have to say that she’s always been supportive. Everybody makes mistakes. She favored my father’s position rather than mine at one time. How can you resent that? It’s life. It’s the past and she’s happy now and so am I. No regrets.

Photography Mario Sorrenti

Photo assistants Lars Beaulieu and Kenny Jossick
Digital technician Heather Sommerfield
Location Pin-Up Studios, Paris
Printing Pascal Dangin for Box Ltd.