The Evolution of Jacquemus (Part 1/3)

I first heard of Jacquemus during the Spring 2016 Ready to Wear show. What stood out the most to me at the time, besides learning how to pronounce the name, were the shapes and textures that were literally pieced together to create an outfit. This particular show could be generalized as creative, experimental, and non-traditional. But, if looked at from another lens it could also be characterized as messy, unoriginal and unfocused. The consistencies in colors and aesthetic were evident, however this was a show that just didn’t catch the public's eye in a good way. Early criticism of the brand described this novice designer as having no real direction, his knowledge and seriousness often being questioned. And I bring this up now, because this past Paris Fashion Week Jacquemus FW 20 was one of the most talked about shows. To go from having to defend your brand because your work was described as uninspired and messy, to being one of the most anticipated show in one of the most beloved locations of Fashion Week makes me question what changed within the brand. We know the brains behind the brand are still the same, but the real change is in the designs themselves. And this makes me want to dig deeper into how Jacquemus evolved into the brand we know today.

Before you can get into the designs, it is important to learn the face and story behind the art. Simon Porte Jacquemus was born January 16 1990, in Salon de Provence, France. The name Jacquemus, his mother's maiden name, was adopted in 2009. It was from her death he had the revelation to drop out of Design school and move to Paris to launch the brand. His designs had reached the likes of both Rei Kawakubo and Adrian Joffee, who had publicly recognized his collection at the time. He then started to work at Commes Des Garçon to further finance his brand. With more money and exposure, Jacquemus has been able to formally fit his major influences, his late mother, and France, into his designs. I believe this additional context is what made the brand more successful. In a span of over a decade, Jacquemus went from a sales person on the Dover street market floor to the founder of a successful fashion brand.

I’d like to first take a look at the Spring 2014 show. After four years into the business, Simon had made a name for himself as a self taught designer, and with the growth of exposure, comes Vogue visits. Marking his first documented show, we were presented with a strict color palette of white, blue, green and pink. With all the models dressed in plain white sneakers, the outfits were minimalistic and blunt cut. There were no patterns or intricate designs in this collection, just shirts, skirts, trousers, and jackets, in plain colors and asymmetrical stitching. While some complained that “the collection lacked creativity and thought”, Simon himself has repeatedly argued that the base of his designs reflected what he could afford at the time, a common theme characterizing his early shows.

The following year he disappointed as well. Both shows incorporated additional colors, styles and simple designs. These collections displayed more professional work wear than they did minimalist chic. Jacquemus both in the past and in the present has always been a minimalist designer. However, the way he has portrayed minimalism in his earlier shows was through literal basic clothing (lowkey the type of stuff you can find in H&M right now). The progression of his shows was in how feminine his designs became. We know he made skirts and dresses throughout all of his seasons, with cuts that exposed vulnerable areas, however they were average cuts on average materials. Nothing highlighted the women’s body, or gave reference to what type of person would wear his clothes. To me, the garments did not have an identity. The splash of colors made his collection more wearable, but still I couldn’t pinpoint an exact location or event that would complement his designs.

Accessories could have provided a stronger identity, however in these earlier shows none can be found on the models whatsoever. We all wear clothes, but those added details complete the identity of our looks, and they could’ve done the same to Jacquemus’ designs. From Spring 2014 to the Spring 2015 show, hair and shoes remained consistent. While this stylistic decision placed the focus onto the clothes, emphasizing designs, it also took away from the overall show. I feel as though accessories could have provided something necessary to complement the garments and add to his aesthetic altogether. But before we get into anything extra, this statement recants itself in the Fall 2015 show. An asymmetrical beauty of a show.

Photos: Courtesy of Vogue