François Arnaud on Anthony Vaccarello’s Saint Laurent Exit: ‘I Think He Is Just a Master’

The “Heated Rivalry” star arrived at Tuesday’s WWD Honors in oversized navy tailoring and explained how the designer has influenced his personal style.

François Arnaud usually tries to mix a little high-brow with his low-brow. At Tuesday night’s WWD Honors in New York, however, there wasn’t much of the latter.

“I mean this is very high-brow,” the “Heated Rivalry” actor said with a laugh, gesturing toward his Saint Laurent suit. “There’s nothing low-brow about Anthony’s work.”

That would be Anthony Vaccarello, who departed Saint Laurent earlier this month after a decade as creative director. Arnaud, a brand ambassador for the house, offered something of a tribute to the designer while walking the carpet at Cipriani South Street.

“As you know, this last collection was his swan song at Saint Laurent and I think he is just a master,” Arnaud told WWD. “His ten years there were a perfectly masterful blend of elegance but also a rock and roll quality, and that’s kind of what I like about his designs. We just threw this on and it felt like a great fit.”

The Saint Laurent suit was oversized from top to bottom. His navy jacket featured broad shoulders and wide lapels, while the matching trousers were cut so wide that they nearly covered his black leather dress shoes. Underneath, Arnaud kept things more traditional with a pale blue striped shirt and patterned navy tie.

As for what inspired the outfit? Even Arnaud wasn’t entirely sure.

“I don’t know what inspired it, actually,” he said, laughing as he adjusted his tie. “You’ll have to ask Anthony. But I love it, it was an immediate crush.”

Arnaud has a few rules for getting dressed, at least when left to his own devices. He likes “loose on top, tight at the bottom, or the other way around,” and tries “to be somewhat elegant and classic but also add a little element of playfulness.”

Vaccarello, he said, has pushed him to take that idea further.

“I feel like it’s allowed me to lean more into this kind of rock and roll, high-brow low-brow,” he said.

Vaccarello presented his final Saint Laurent collection for spring 2027 in Paris on Sept. 29. Parent company Kering officially announced his departure Oct. 9, closing a run that began in 2016.

The 2026 WWD Honors was held Tuesday at Cipriani South Street in New York, where LVMH’s Bernard Arnault received the John B. Fairchild Honor. Tom Ford’s Haider Ackermann and Celine’s Michael Rider were recognized for womenswear and menswear design, respectively, while G-III Apparel Group’s Morris Goldfarb received the Creative Leadership Honor and Henry Zankov was named One to Watch. The event coincided with WWD’s Apparel & Retail CEO Summit.

Via: WWD