IN CONVERSATION WITH VICTOR WEINSANTO
words
MARIE-PAULINE CESARI
photography
FRANÇOIS QUILLACQ
VICTOR WEINSANTO is the perfect embodiment of Aurora — he is a promising light and the future of fashion. Before turning to design, he trained as a ballet dancer at the John Cranko Schule in Stuttgart, and his passion for movement still shapes his theatrical runway shows. After studying at Atelier Chardon Savard in Paris, he refined his craft at Y/ PROJECT and CHLOÉ before two transformative years with JEAN PAUL GAULTIER, where he embraced the house’s savoir- faire and creative freedom.
In 2020, he launched WEINSANTO, blending couture influences with irreverence and a deep love of performance. His muses — dancers, actors and cabaret performers — bring a unique vibrancy to his shows. He may call himself a “teenage” designer, but make no mistake: Victor is already among the big names shaping the French fashion industry.
What is your first memory of fashion, and what made you want to become a designer?
Initially, I actually wanted to be a dancer. But I discovered fashion by being completely immersed in watching YouTube videos of fashion — GAULTIER, MONTANA, SAINT LAURENT — in my room. That’s what truly sparked my passion. My dream was to be a choreographer, but at some point, I realised that it wasn’t really a feasible career path. So, seeing the shows these designers put on at the time really inspired me, and that’s what ultimately led me to fashion.
How does your background as a dancer influence your work as a designer today?
It influences everything — whether it’s my search for movement in fabrics, selecting materials that truly allow the body to move or, conversely, constraining the body with corsets. But more than anything, my past as a dancer shapes my casting choices. Every weekend, I would spend my Fridays and Saturdays with VINCENT PRESSIAT at MANKO CABARET, watching incredible artists like ALLANAH, MIMI, JULIE and ANGÈLE. They fascinated me, and during my years as a student in Paris, they played a huge role in shaping me. So, today, it is a privilege to work with these same people, including EMMANUEL D’ORAZIO and MARC ZAFFUTO, Manko’s artistic directors, and to bring this cabaret influence into my runway shows each season. That’s definitely my dancer side speaking.
You launched your brand in 2020. What made you take the leap?
Honestly, it wasn’t planned. While I was looking for a job, I put together a collection, working nights after Jean Paul Gaultier’s last Haute Couture show. With a small payout coming, I thought, “Why not do a simple show?”
A week later, lockdown hit, making job hunting impossible. Luckily, Gaultier had attended the show, and just three weeks after leaving his atelier, things took off.
By chance, a filmmaker friend filmed the show and sent it to ADRIAN JOFFE, CEO of COMME DES GARÇONS. Through mutual connections, we met, and everything aligned. With my family’s support and an offer from DOVER STREET MARKET, I knew we were onto something. It all unfolded unexpectedly — but perfectly.
A perfect storm of luck and hard work. And you worked at Jean Paul Gaultier for a long time?
Two years — short but invaluable. I still have a great relationship with Monsieur GAULTIER and admire him enormously. At Gaultier, I learned so much from his approach — he’s completely himself, works with such joy and is truly a genius.
ALPHONSE MAITREPIERRE and I were incredibly lucky to start in a house that was both supportive and inspiring. Beyond his talent, I admire his kindness and generosity and his sense of humility.
Do you think those qualities are essential in today’s industry?
Oh, absolutely. That being said, not everyone is necessarily humble. I have an ego, too, of course. But for me, humility is fundamental — it should be as natural as saying “hello.”
I do see that it’s not the case for everyone, though. But when I look at the big names among young designers today, I find that most of them are incredibly humble. And I think it also says a lot about the creative spirit of this generation. We’re no longer in the ’90s when it was fashionable to be cruel — like when KARL LAGERFELD said, he loved fashion but hated everything about it. Nowadays, that kind of toxic behaviour? No, thank you. It’s completely outdated. Today, things are simpler, more human. In 2025, being humble and approachable should be a given.
How do you build the narrative around each collection, especially the latest one, “Cauchemar in the Kitchen”?
The story often comes together naturally. For the show at LE GEORGES (the restaurant at the Centre Pompidou), we were lucky to secure the venue, but it was a Monday — a full service day. We had to squeeze everything between lunch and dinner, rehearsing while customers were still sipping their coffee! It was chaotic but hilarious, so I embraced it as part of the concept.
