It’s sunny but acknowledges shadows, too. It’s heartfelt but not wistful. It’s cool, but he’d hate to be labeled that, and would prefer to be considered in terms of the warmth and honesty of his native southern France. We are talking about, of course, the work of Simon Porte Jacquemus, a former child model who moved to Paris, worked for Comme des Garçons, taught himself to be a designer, and then promptly set up his own label. The rest, as they say, is history, a history that chances are you’ve worn; speak to most stores and they can’t keep his clothes—inventively cut, and increasingly riffing on different notions of Frenchness—in stock for very long at all.
From a show where he coaxed the audience into wearing appliqued coveralls, looking like a group of wildly overgrown preschoolers, to the one where a white horse cantered through midway, to another where lighting reminiscent of a Provençal sundown was created in a tent erected in the Tuileries, there’s always been a transportive quality to his shows. Not to mention that he’s done these, and just about everything else, on his terms; he’s not really interested in playing the game or trying to preserve the old fashion world order. Jacquemus works on instinct and intuition because he figures, quite rightly, that he’s dressing a whole new generation who feel exactly the same way. In short, he’s an independent designer who deeply values his independence, which, surprising though it may sound, is not the case with everyone.
Some of this will no doubt come up when he meets Joseph Altuzarra and Erdem Moralioglu in conversation at the Vogue Forces of Fashion conference on October 12 in New York. They will be joining plenty of other mega-talents—the “forces”—that day, but we thought it would be fun to ask Jacquemus (and his fellow speakers) about the people, places, and pop culture moments that have helped shape his outlook on fashion. Watch this space for more, and visit www.vogueforcesoffashion.com to purchase tickets.
Designer: Pierre CardinI love his complete universe, from the fashion to the objects. His vision was global and very strong.
Model: Laetitia CastaI’m not really obsessed with models, but I really love Laetitia Casta. I love her story, her familiar beauty. She reminds me of my mother.
Photographer: Harry GruyaertI’m fascinated by the light, the poetry, and the beauty of the world in his images.
Movie: L’Été MeurtrierA crazy love story in a village in the South of France with Isabelle Adjani; I’m in love with her.
Musician: Christine and the QueensShe is a complete artist; she controls everything. I love her lyrics, her music, her dancing. I’m a big fan.
Television Show: PinguIt remains my favorite cartoon from my childhood, and I sometimes still watch it.
Moment: My show Les Santons de Provence in MarseilleI wanted to bring back the santons to their origins in the south, and it was most beautiful.
Location: Les Calanques de MarseilleI love to spend all my summers in Marseille and swim in the Calanques. It’s a magical place.
Art: Henri Matisse
At the moment, I’m obsessed with Matisse—his paints and his collages—it is difficult to choose one.
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Item of clothing: The white shirtI have always loved wearing white and mostly with a white shirt. I think it’s coming from my family, because I have always seen my mother and my grandmother wearing white, every time.
For more information on or to purchase tickets to the Forces of Fashion conference, visit vogueforcesoffashion.com.