In his time at Ann Demeulemeester, Stefano Gallici has channeled the Belgian founder’s intimate vision through a lens of 21st-century youth culture. This is embodied in the brand’s KIDS project, a visual diary of global youth launched by Gallici in 2024. In many ways, this cultural documentation serves as a mirror of the young creative director’s personal journey of self-discovery and engagement with the next generation of creatives.

During a visit to New York’s multibrand concept store ESSX—which is in itself a hub at the intersection of generational culture and fashion—Gallici met with Document to share his thoughts on the city and its cultural icons.

Colin Boyle: Do you believe the Ann Demeulemeester vision and vibe is felt differently in the US?

Stefano Gallici: I’m sure there’s a different vision and vibe of the brand here in the US [compared] to Europe and my usual playground. That’s what fascinates me about being in New York—about the US in general—I have to say. Here, the brand feels more youthful, playful, and fun. When I’m in Europe, there’s a more austere feeling [around] the brand, probably because we’re more stuck to its heritage. I’m trying to break these boundaries, and of course, I’m fascinated by something unknown and widely explorable, which is how I see the scene and the crowd that dresses in Ann Demeulemeester here in New York.

Colin: What excites you about fashion and culture in New York as opposed to Paris, Milan, or other major fashion cities?

Stefano: This was my first time here for New York Fashion Week. I’d already visited the city, but never during fashion week. I’m not someone that loves to be around fashion weeks, but here, there was something fascinating. Once again, I was really drawn to the youth and the way they interpret fashion—it’s so different from Milan and Paris. It’s hard to explain because it’s more of a feeling in my head, but here, everything feels lighter and easier in terms of style. It’s a different kind of effortlessness from what we breathe in Europe.

Photographed by Huy Long.

Colin: Are there any people or cultural icons from New York and the States that influence your work?

Stefano: So many, actually. I could pull references from the past—my teenage years played a key role in shaping my world of inspiration. The aesthetic of New York in the ’70s and ’80s, especially the punk-rock scene around CBGB, Max’s Kansas City, and the Chelsea Hotel, has always been a North Star in my wall of reference. But what moves me more in terms of influence now are the people living in the city today—mostly friends, especially some of those who were part of KIDS, for sure.

Colin: You shot the second edition of KIDS in New York. What did you find inspiring about the youth culture here? 

Stefano: What’s inspiring about youth culture in New York [is] probably the way they [navigate] life in such a huge city and fight to make a place for themselves in a city where it’s not so easy to live in—[one that] also holds an endless artistic and cultural background. Many of my friends bring with them all these aspects that give them a different attitude—much stronger, at least, than [what I see] in the youth cultures of other cities.