The 2010s: The Tale of Jacquemus

December 15, 2019June 17, 2023 | Design & Culture by Ed

Believe it or not – I can’t! – but we’re heading towards a new millenium. So, how do you choose the most important collections, designers and labels of the decade? The ones that made an actual impact in the 2010s? Well, it’s not an easy task. It all began in September 2009 with New York’s spring-summer 2010 shows and ended when the autumn-winter 2019 haute couture shows wrapped in Paris. Few thousands of shows, by the way. There will be 19 posts (that’s really the only possible minimum!) reminding about the best – and if not the best, then strongly influencing – moments in fashion.

France, sun, love. Jacquemus.

The tale of Jacquemus is one of the most inspiring and joyful stories of 2010’s fashion. A boy from the South of France made the entire industry lose its mind for XXL straw hats, hilariously small bags, cheerful polka-dots and dresses that mentally transport you to the beach in any season. Simon Porte Jacquemus started from scratch, staging his first fashion show in a public swimming pool in Paris. With every season, his style got refined and the collections expanded at an organic pace. From the spectacular La Santons de Provence show, which was all about the designer’s love for his sun-drenched home, to the spring-summer 2020 line-up staged in the middle of a Provençal field, every collection Jacquemus delivers keeps on getting better. From all the emerging labels that took off in the 2010s, Jacquemus is the biggest star!

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Dream. Jacquemus SS20

June 30, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

Although I’ve been sick for a couple of days, and a collection that happened a week ago in today’s fashion industry’s pace seems like a year ago (especially during the endless fashion week of menswear, resort, ready-to-wear and couture), I’m still sure of one thing: Jacquemus spring-summer 2020 collection was a DREAM. By now you surely have seen hundreds of images of a vibrant pink runway going through field of purple lavender, under the gorgeously bright blue Provençal sky. Simon Porte Jacquemus took the fashion crowd to his hometown region and celebrated his brand’s 10th anniversary. The brand is completely independent, super desirable and Jacquemus, the person himself, is the same French guy with a joyful spirit. While anniversary collections tend to be a remix of a brand’s biggest hits, Jacquemus presented lots of hot newness that keeps on developing the brand’s language. “I wanted something sophisticated but at the same time as light as a cocktail in summer,” he said backstage. The moment when Mica Arganaraz opened the show in a white, over-sized blazer, it was clear that tailoring is on the designer’s mind. He nailed it for both, women and men. Parachute dresses in olive-green and bold fuchsia were my personal highlights, just like the shirts with Cezanne-esque landscapes and culottes in utilitarian styles. Jacquemus is a major accessories business, and this season he didn’t dissapoint. From XXL bazaar bags and signature art-heel shoes to old-school net grocery bags and basket handbags (they seem to stay with us), you want it all. Happy Birthday to Jacquemus, the brand. Big, big congrats to Jacquemus, the person!

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Village Life. Jacquemus AW19

March 5, 2019March 5, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

Simone Porte Jacquemus’ sun-drenched Frenchness is a phenomenal success on international scale – think big straw hats, over-sized baskets and draped shirtdresses ready for a Côte d’Azur adventures. Still, the designer doesn’t rest on laurels, and smartly took a slightly different direction this season. Not that he parted ways with his French girl – I doubt this will ever happen, since she’s the core of his brand. But he finally took her out of the beach. In a French village set-up, with faux fruit stores and all, Jacquemus sent a line-up of boldly colored looks that are actually ready for (not too) cold weathers. Coats in fuchsia, yellow and abstract checks; laid-back tailoring and shirting in rustic prints; knitted dresses. The Jacquemus girl wears heels, but isn’t afraid of knee-length rubber boots. Bags are the brand’s growing business, so there’s no wonder why we’ve got so many new additions. The double-bum-bag worn on the waist; the meme-worthy, super tiny handbag that might fit a few coins, a black card, a cigarette and maybe, who knows, a condom (sorry, that was my main thought when I saw them!); an enormously big shoulder bag that will definitely fit everything, even a hundred of the mini bags I mentioned two lines above. Jacquemus doesn’t take big risks, true, but he continues to amuse. Consistence with a spark of surprise is the key.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Men’s – Country. Jacquemus AW19

January 25, 2019January 25, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

Simon Porte Jacquemus‘ autumn-winter 2019 collection for men signalled his (temporary) departure from the always sunny, always beach-y wonderland that got him slightly trapped for the last few seasons. But, it’s Jacquemus – France will forever be his endless inspiration. This time, he went to the French countryside, and came back to Paris with a warm, ready-to-get-dirty offering. The designer presented his collection around a table full of cheese, grapes and bread, and posted a look-book photographed far, far from the big city – the hills of Montpellier. The collection’s leading inspiration? “Traditional French workwear,” he said, “bakery guys, farm workers. They are real, real clothes, cotton, wool.” We’ve got thick, durable collared outerwear and matching pants in brown; printed shirts that seemed to be inspired with Cezanne’s rural still-lives; leather pants that were a fashion version of an apron you wear to a barn; heavy trekking boots. But there was also the softer part of the collection, focusing on slightly over-sized fitted suits – something quite new to Jacquemus’ young menswear line. The designer’s love letter to the beautiful, French farm life could not miss foulards, tied loosely around the models’ necks. Now, anyone planning a detoxifying, rural escape anytime soon?

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Men’s / Le Gadjo. Jacquemus SS19

June 26, 2018June 25, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Couldn’t ask for a better ‘summer fashion’ moment. For his highly anticipated menswear debut, Simon Porte Jacquemus took us to one of his most beloved places, Marseille (specifically Calanque de Sormiou, a spectacular beach which is a stone throw from the French city). The runway was staged on the beach, with blankets and real-life holiday-goers as a backdrop. Jacquemus called the collection Gadjo, which is a Gypsy expression meaning ‘a man that belongs to no community’. But also, it’s a way to say ‘boy’ in the South of France. Shortly, it’s a word that Jacquemus feels connected to strongly, noting his origins and the care-free attitude to life.

So, what’s a Jacquemus man like? Like Simon himself. Just take a look at his Instagram, and you will quickly capture his sense of style: bold cotton shirts (worn with, or without, a slightly cartoonish tie), khaki bermudas, loosely fit blazers, bucket hats. And, if the weather is fine, great love for showing off his hairy torso. The clothes models wore (all street-casted, as far as I know) were exactly what Jacquemus loves wearing on the regular basis. I think I love it too – just look at all the energetic colours, patchworked knits and… hot denim! Jacquemus’ menswear isn’t complicated, but is well suited for daily life (in summer, specifically). Noting that Simon’s women’s line is relatively affordable, I think that my next season shopping cart is about to burst at the seams with all these goodies.