Cozy Knits
the true Parisienne.
De Maigret, who featured in Simon Porte Jacquemus' second collection six years ago, said it was the designer's communicative energy that led her to collaborate with the brand. “He had really great ideas. I was hooked from the very beginning,” she said. “Years later, he still has the same incredible energy.”
Out in the back garden, Emily Ratajkowski was sipping a glass of Champagne and also praising the 28-year-old designer's sunny nature. “I met Simon a year ago at his last spring collection, and I now have a friendship with him. Each of his shows celebrate women, and he has a really European, sexy approach that I relate to and love to wear.”
The actress had landed merely an hour ago from Milan, where she walked the Versace and Dolce & Gabbana shows.
Will she be walking any shows in Paris? “It's a surprise. I can't tell you,” she smiled.
In the garden of the embassy, guests were seated on white folding chairs. Influencer Jeanne Damas was spotted taking a selfie with Ratajkowski in the front row. She was perched a couple of seats along from designers Jean Touitou of APC and Gaia Repossi.
It was the Haim sisters' first Jacquemus show, and the trio of musicians was visibly psyched. “We're so excited, we're really big fans. As you can tell,” they cooed, gesturing to their head-to-toe Jacquemus looks, complete with miniature bags.
The only exception being jewelry: Alana, Danielle and Este Haim chose oversize brass hoops by Brooklyn jewelry designer Laura Lombardi, who they find “so good.”
“Danielle found him first, and got us all hooked,” said Alana of Porte Jacquemus. “He makes women feel so beautiful, and all his clothes are so flattering. This outfit right now?” She signals her black knitted transparent top, apparently unfazed by the breeze. “I could only wear this because it's Jacquemus. I'm obsessed.”
The band is planning to do a couple of fashion shows in Paris, but is aiming to keep things relaxed. “We're just partying and having a good time,” said Alana.
The trio is taking a small break from working on new music. “Something is definitely in the works. Hopefully we will put it out really soon.” — FLEUR BURLET Dover Street Market is gearing up for fall and has collaborated with designer Joost Jansen on an installation, which launched Friday, celebrating Jansen's love of knitwear.
Jansen, who has worked with the likes of Walter van Beirendonck and Henrik Vibskov, launched his own brand Survival of the Fashionest in 2017. The name pokes fun at the industry yet it also reflects the core values of his brand, “In a way it stands for me fighting to do something different, I want to use good materials, traditional techniques and keep craftsmanship alive,” Jansen said.
For his debut collection, Jansen worked alongside
250 grandmothers in Bulgaria to incorporate hand-knitting techniques with a modern twist. “I use a lot of color and for me it's important to show all the details of the craftsmanship and bring awareness to it,” he said.
The installation demonstrates these techniques and Jansen's knitwear, which takes up to three weeks to make, is pressed between two plastic sheets. These sheets are then suspended from hanging bars, encouraging customers to rotate the display to view the knitwear from all angles.
“Pictures of clothes are mostly taken from the front, so we came up with this idea of having it turn so we could show the front and the back,” he said. Behind the turning pieces, the wall is plastered with portraits of Jansen's friends and family wearing his designs, “to show that my knitwear is for everyone, men and women, young and old.”
The knitwear is made using traditional heritage techniques from Bulgaria as well as materials from old spinning mills in Ireland. There are abstract and geometric designs on some, while others feature woven flower motifs, which begins retailing at 380 pounds.
“I think for me the most interesting thing is to have the clash between old and new. I used to work a lot with Dover Street Market when I was a salesperson for designers, I have a special connection with them and coming back here as a product designer is really special,” Jansen said.
Survival of the Fashionest is stocked in 12 stores around the world and Jansen aims to grow this to 30 stores in the next few years. “It's still very important that everything goes through my own hand and I never sacrifice quality for quantity. I want to still be able to fold everything the way I want,” he added.
— FIONA MA