Now you see me
At the spring/summer ’23 shows, designers didn’t create to fit a mould, they shattered it entirely. The future – one of radically accepting the self in its truest form – starts now.
Kevin Germanier never intended to become one of Paris’s most boundary-pushing creatives.
The Swiss Central Saint Martins graduate worked as a designer at Louis Vuitton before starting his eponymous brand in 2018, purveying colourful attire made of painstakingly applied beads. In short order however, his runways – filled with models of all gender identities and body types, in bold clothing celebrating their physicality – have become a forward-facing part of a paradigm shift.
“I’m not casting a big girl because she’s a big girl,” Germanier says of his shows, which allow the uniquely cast models to express themselves. “I’m not casting someone from Africa because they’re from Africa. I’m casting people that inspire me, and because they’re individuals. Personality is very important … the idea that fashion is just for tall blonde girls with blue eyes, it’s so dated. Who says it has to be like that?”
As with an increasing number of young designers, idiosyncrasy is welcomed by Germanier. In a world where fashion customers have been known to forego uniqueness to align with trends, he’s one of a new guard making striking clothing that stands out, giving the wearer space to feel their boldest and most like themselves. This can mean bright and outré hues in Germanier’s case, or celebration of bodies once ignored by fashion, also seen on the runway of another rising French designer, Ester Manas.
Though the number of curve models on fashion’s runways has increased in past years, Manas’s size-inclusive line is still much of an aberration in Paris. Inspired by her own difficulties finding party attire that fitted her body, Manas’s bodycon dresses are tailored for both sex appeal and comfort. Germanier considers Manas a good friend, as well as Ludovic de Saint Sernin, the new Ann Demeulemeester creative director who has made waves for his monochromatic, queerinfluenced partywear. He sees the trio as a force in Paris, each louder than other brands in their desire for change.
“Let’s be fair, Paris can be really, really conservative, but I do think we are slowly changing things,” Germanier continues. “I’m reaching [one customer], Ludovic is