The Belgian-born, Italian-descended, Paris-based (combining three fashionable nations) Anthony Vaccarello made his mark early on impressing the likes of Ann Demeulemeester and Maria Luisa at the Hyères fashion competion in 2006 where he took away the grand prize with his collection of unimaginable feats of leather manipulation. Since then, Vaccarello has gone on to work for Fendi designing furs, but has decided to strike out on his own with statement collections that focus on quality and not quantity. Whilst everyone is simpering behind pastels and soft textures, Vaccarello’s S/S10 collection focuses on the statement jacket and the bodysuit; lapels are heavy with precisely cut glass and intricate folds and ruching run up the swimsuits and bodies. Paired together or worn separately, they’re meant for making an impression. We get to grips with Vaccarello’s inspirations.

Q&A
How old are you?
I am 29

How long have you been designing?
I guess I have been designing properly since I was 10 years old.

Where are you based?
I live between Brussels (for the weekend) and Paris .

How would you describe your own style?
Intricate, glamorous and intoxicating.

Who would you like to collaborate with?
Azzedine Alaïa, Miuccia Prada, Ines Van Lamsweerde, Hedi Slimane amongst others.

Who do you have in mind when you design?
A strong individual woman. A strong woman with failure behind her. A woman who is smiling but her eyes are brimming with tears.

What inspires you at the moment?
Right now I'm obsessed with everything to do with Fassbinder.

Who are your favorite designers and why?
Azzedina Alaïa for his body sculpture, Helmut Lang for his sexy intellect, Ann Demeulemeester for her constant romance and Claude Montana.

Were you interested in fashion while growing up?
I grew up surrounded by strong women. Now I notice that all the girls I like have almost the same personalities - they are strong and without compromise even if very physically different looking. I remember growing up in cold Brussels watching sexy Italian shows on Saturday with my grandma. I loved the contrast of the two. I remember also my fascination with Helmut Newton 's pictures. My father had some books about that and I was shocked and attracted at the same time. Then there was Gianni Versace, whose shows I watched with my family when I was in Sicily every summer. It was a ritual to see his amazing shows and he was so popular even in the smallest town.

What are the difficulties faced being a designer today?
Money, production, time…

If you weren't designing, what would you be doing?
It would always be something around the creation of fashion imagery. I would love to launch a magazine.

What are your plans for the future?
Just simply grow. I want to expand my team and collaborate with artists and houses.

Can we buy your collection?
I've made a few limited pieces for a few boutiques I have selected such as Joyce in Hong Kong ( where you can find all the S/S 10 pieces and accessories) and soon online on my website.