It’s that time of the year again! By which I mean it’s time for our annual Vogue Runway industry poll. Of course, this has been no ordinary year in fashion: We’ve never seen more comings-and-goings, and it’s not over yet, as Thursday’s shocker that Dario Vitale is out at Versace has made clear. Our results were in well before the announcement about his exit—not that the news would shake the kind of enthusiasm shown by the writers and editors, stylists, publicists, content creators, and multi-hyphenate types who participated in our poll. As you’ll see below, they put Vitale near the top in two important categories: Designer of the Year and Favorite Collection.
Beyond the runways, which red carpet look made the biggest splash? Who is the stylist that out-styled them all? And what makes a supermodel now? Read on to find out!
Designer of the Year
In an entirely un-shocking turn of events, Matthieu Blazy was voted Designer of the Year. A fellow creative director got to the meat of it: “Matthieu [wins], for a very promising collection despite the overwhelming pressure.” Another was a bit more poetic, but just as on point, though they did share a minor quibble: “Matthieu Blazy (duh)—he went from intrecciato to bouclé without a hiccup, and the Chanel collection finally feels like it’s ready for the year [we’re living in], but will hold its own for long after that. But while the Charvet collab was fab, it doubled the prices on The RealReal, so, not great for me.” The runner-up was Jonathan Anderson, who was voted Designer of the Year in both 2024 and 2023.
Favorite Collection of 2025
“I know, I know, you’ve been hearing this across the board but let’s face it, it’s true.” Yes, ladies and gentlemen, in addition to naming Matthieu Blazy the Designer of the Year, your favorite collection of 2025 was his debut for Chanel.
Trailing not far behind, though, was Dario Vitale’s tantalizing first outing for Versace (this poll was conducted before his exit from the company was announced last week). “I loved that Dario Vitale went for broke with an audacious, naughty vision,” one editor told us, while a special projects director, who is also a very good writer, noted: “Dario Vitale’s debut for Versace was polarizing in the most magical way—less a collection than a reawakened spirit. Gianni built an empire in the midst of the AIDS crisis by making fashion outrageous, fabulous, flamboyant—a burst of joy in a dark time—and Dario echoed that energy. In a landscape where most debuts exist to sell a handbag, this one felt like a true origin story revived: exhilarating, uncertain, and risky. It was as if Gianni himself lingered in the room and someone finally dusted off the cobwebs.” Now that Vitale is leaving, we’ll have to wait and see who will arrive at Versace to build anew.
The Most Underrated Designer Working Today
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