How did you get involved with the Zara 50 Creators project?

It was such an honor to get that email that they wanted to include me. I had met Marta when I went to Spain for the Steven Meisel exhibition, and that was just phenomenal. So I was absolutely thrilled when I heard from them.

Can you recall a favorite Zara item or shopping memory?

I guess it was the Meisel collection. I mean, that was made in heaven. The boutique was so cool. All the clothes that they did were so Steven, I remember all those pieces through the years in his personal wardrobe, and it was just the epitome of cool with all that leather and some of the dark flannel plaid and the jeans, great boots and shoes. I think it came out during show time, so I ran there and it was like a super micro sweep, trying to pick as much as I could from the collection.

The Anna Sui x Zara 50th Anniversary dress. Photo: Courtesy of Zara

Your Zara 50 Creators look is based on an archival piece. How did you decide which one to reference?

We wanted something iconic. When people talk about the Anna Sui look, there’s always a schoolgirl. So that was my tongue in cheek version of schoolgirl—very sexy spandex, a tight schoolgirl dress with white collar and cuffs. It has a guard belt that has stockings, and there’s a really fun belt that is all these black bright plastic charms on a black plastic chain that you wear down on your hip. So there are a lot of fun little touches.

Nicole Phelps recently noted a resurgence of interest in your work among younger audiences. Given that vintage and archival pieces can be quite expensive, how do you feel about younger generations now having more accessible ways to own one of your designs?

I’m so excited about that because I think that maybe this one will really be something that they can embrace and maybe wear even for the next 20 years. Because as you age, I think it’s almost classic. It’s a shirt dress with white collar and cuffs in black, [it works differently] depending on how you accessorize it.

Linda Evangelista

Linda EvangelistaPhoto: Courtesy of Zara