Ludovic de Saint Sernin answers the dA-Zed quiz

Ludovic de Saint Sernin has achieved a lot in the past 10 years. In 2017, he launched his own eponymous brand, quickly gaining a reputation for his smoking hot shows and barely there designs. Five years later, he was named creative director of Ann Demeulemeester, and in 2024, announced as the eighth guest designer for Jean Paul Gaultier’s Haute Couture line. 

While continuing to design for his own label, in September, de Saint Sernin revealed that he had taken on a new role as pop star Tate McRae’s creative director, and now, he’s adding yet another bullet point to his CV. The French designer has now teamed up with Zara to create a collection that spans womenswear, menswear, beauty, bags, shoes and accessories.

“It’s my first big global collaboration. I could be anywhere in the world and go into Zara and see the collection,” he says, Zooming in from Los Angeles, where he’s on set with McRae. “When I was growing up, I remember seeing these crazy collaborations and people lining up to be the first ones to buy it.” 

What he finds particularly special is that this collaboration allows his brand to reach a wider audience than ever before – and allows people to purchase their own slice of Ludo for a significantly lower price tag. “It’s reaching so many people,” he says, “people who didn’t know me previously and people who don’t necessarily go to Zara that might go now.” 

To mark the occasion – which he describes as a “dream come true” – we asked de Saint Sernin to answer our dA-Zed quiz, in which he reveals his favourite SS26 collection of the season, who would play him in a biopic, and whether or not he’d ever return to Haute Couture.

A IS FOR… ALEX CONSANI, THE STAR OF YOUR CAMPAIGN. HOW DID THE TWO OF YOU MEET? 

I met Alex online, like everybody else – I was obsessed with her TikTok. I thought she was so cool, so funny and so beautiful. The first season she did in Paris, we booked her. It was a mutual love at first sight and I’ve done every show with her ever since. She’s such a great spokesperson for our generation. If you’re on set with her, you just have to shoot her every moment, because she’s non-stop slaying. 

B IS FOR…BEAUTY. THIS COLLECTION FEATURES BEAUTY PRODUCTS AS WELL AS CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES. WHAT WAS YOUR BEAUTY INSPO? 

The inspiration was getting ready, which for me is usually the most fun part of the night. You’re with your friends, you’re thinking about the look you’re going to do. So the products are about skin prepping and complementing the wardrobe. I don’t wear makeup – I want to get into it, but it’s such a different art. 

C IS FOR…CRUSH. WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST CRUSH? 

My ultimate crush would have to be my fiancé. 

D IS FOR…DREAM. WHAT WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD DREAM? 

Well actually, one of my childhood dreams was to do a global collaboration like this, so this really is a dream come true for me. 

E IS FOR…ENDGAME. WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL?

My ultimate goal is to be happy. I’m so blessed that I get to do the job that I do – like, right now I’m on set with Tate McRae shooting a cover, we were just saying that we are having so much fun. We’re so lucky this is our job. 

F IS FOR…FOOD. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD? 

I love a red velvet cupcake. If you want to make me happy on set, bring me one of those. 

If I’m going to go to a house again, it would have to be a couture house

G IS FOR…GOD. DO YOU HAVE FAITH OR SPIRITUAL PRACTICE?

I grew up Catholic. My family was very religious, so God is still in there somewhere. Every time I achieve something, I’ll thank God or I’ll practise mindfulness and gratefulness. 

H IS FOR…HAUTE COUTURE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RETURN TO IT? 

One million per cent. Doing Haute Couture was my favourite experience ever. With couture, there are no limits to creativity. Anything can be done and doing that for six months was magical. It made me realise that if I’m going to go to a house again at some point, it would have to be a couture house. 

I IS FOR…INTERNET. WHERE DO YOU SPEND THE MOST TIME ONLINE? 

TikTok. My For You Page is a mixture of dog videos, Real Housewives, pop culture and hilarious things about being a Virgo. 

J IS FOR…JOKES. WHO MAKES YOU LAUGH THE MOST IN THE WORLD? 

My best friend Paige. She makes me laugh endlessly. 

K IS FOR…KNOWLEDGE. WHAT’S SOMETHING NICHE THAT YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT? 

Maybe it’s not niche, but I’m a full-on fashion encyclopedia. I know everything. If I’m on set, I will always find a reference that feels right, whether it’s from a magazine or from a fashion show. I have millions of fashion screenshots in my head. I have a photographic memory, so I can see someone once and remember their face forever. 

L IS FOR…LOVE. WHAT’S THE MOST ROMANTIC THING SOMEONE’S EVER DONE FOR YOU? 

I would have to say my engagement story. We were together in Mexico and we both proposed to each other at sunrise. It was just the two of us on the beach and it felt like we were alone in the world. 

M IS FOR…MUSIC. WHAT ARTIST DO YOU HAVE ON REPEAT RIGHT NOW? 

Well, as Tate McRae’s creative director, right now I’m listening to songs from her deluxe album, which is coming out this week. We’ve also shot a music video together. I love having unreleased songs on my phone. I feel like the king of the world. 

N IS FOR…NATURE. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL? 

My dog, Louie! He’s a little English cocker spaniel. My son. 

O IS FOR…OPINION. WHAT’S YOUR HOT TAKE? 

As a Parisian, I’ve always loved Paris. I’ve lived in Paris ever since I was eight years old, but New York is definitely having a moment and my hot take is that New York is probably the most fun city in the world right now. 

All your dreams will come true if you keep believing in yourself and don’t give up. But I would tell myself today to dream the way that I did when I was 13

P IS FOR…PARTY. WHERE’S THE BEST PLACE TO GO OUT? 

Because it’s my favourite place to go out in the whole world, I’m not going to say what it is. I’m keeping it a secret. Some things are meant to stay where they are and if they’re discussed too much, they get ruined. 

Q IS FOR…QUOTE. IS THERE A QUOTE THAT YOU LIVE BY? 

My cousin has quotes all over her bathroom. They’re great because what else are you going to do in the bathroom? I have a photographic memory, but not for words like that, so I couldn’t tell you one. 

R IS FOR…READING. WHAT BOOK COULD YOU READ AGAIN AND AGAIN? 

My favourite book is Just Kids by Patti Smith. It changed my life. 

S IS FOR…SS26. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE COLLECTION FROM THE MOST RECENT FASHION SEASON?

Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello is always so good. He’s incredible, so I have to go for Anthony. 

T IS FOR…TV. WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A TV SHOW ABOUT YOUR LIFE? 

Alex Consani, but she’d have to get a prosthetic nose. 

U IS FOR…UNDERRATED. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS UNDERRATED? 

Real Housewives. It’s everyone’s guilty pleasure. 

V IS FOR…VIDEO. WHAT’S THE LAST VIDEO IN YOUR CAMERA ROLL? 

A video of my best friend Paige, shaving her new beau’s head for a photoshoot. 

W IS FOR…WORLD. WHAT’S YOUR DREAM TRAVEL DESTINATION?

The Galápagos Islands. 

X IS FOR…EX. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE TRYING TO GET OVER THEIR EX? 

Go on a trip with your best friends. Go out, feel completely free in a new city, go on an adventure, have fun and don’t look back. 

Y IS FOR…YOUNGER SELF. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WOULD SAY TO YOUR 13-YEAR-OLD SELF? 

All your dreams will come true if you keep believing in yourself and don’t give up. But I would tell myself today to dream the way that I did when I was 13. 

Z IS FOR…ZARA. WHAT’S ONE WORD THAT SUMMARISES THE NEW COLLECTION? 

Everyone, because it’s a collection for everyone.