SIMON Porte Jacquemus views life through an optimistic lens. So a collection catered to the spring and summer seasons comes naturally to him – as does fashion in general, to be quite frank. There is an ongoing burst of pleasure and energy that pulses through all aspects of garments and accessories under his name: from cuts to colours, to silhouettes to styling. The latest episode in his buoyant book: La Riviera – unveiled this evening in Paris’s Italian Embassy. Its composing garments affirmed one thing: upon each season, you can always count on what Simon says.
How so? He doesn’t shy away from eyebrow-raising looks – rather, he encourages them. His vision of a modern woman is evident – she’s confident and she’s carefree. That goes for his South-of-France style muse, anyhow – living life to the sunny side up is his driving sartorial force. Yet simple and sexy style also makes natural sense for the time of year that these clothes are designed for. Think about it – dream scenario, the summer season is for lounging around by the river, dancing to ear-pleasing sounds and sipping on a cocktail (margarita, ideally). So what does one wear for such a celebratory scene? Easy! Jacquemus.
Models stormed along a raised runway which gave the eyes a direct view to spot those little details. After all, Jacquemus knows what his admirers are after. Following on from the craze for his last Spring/Summer collection – La Bomba – he has given its standout accessories an upgrade. Those ultra tiny handbags (meaning a night without a phone) now come with a glitzy addition: excessively long fringed trails. Mini bag, massive vail? It’s an instant yes. Oh – and the designer also offered his own take on the current logo mania craze. Through what form? A cropped Jacquemus t-shirt (sure to be a sell out) and pastel J accessories swinging between the circular heels of his sandalled shoes.
Map those high degree summers onto the garments of Jacquemus and this is what you get: ultra high hemlines, sheer material, a coastal palette (greens, blues, creams, and for a pop of clear femme: fuchsia), and lots of spaghetti straps. So in short – sensual sartorialism designed for dancing. The only downside: if you’re wanting to keep to the one layer style like Simon says, you’ll be requiring a very warm climate. The resulting up-side: you cam begin booking your 2019 getaway now. We’ll race you to the river.
by Faye Fearon