Jacquemus is never one to stick to the ‘status-quo’. Indeed, its founder, Simon Porte Jacquemus, didn’t like to go down the conventional route. He never went to fashion school, or had any sort of fashion background, and this gave him a freedom, which allowed him to express, not merely his persona as a designer, but his cultural upbringing coming from South France.

The French influences of Jacquemus are apparent in each item. They do not come from the same sphere as Yves Saint Laurent or Chanel, they are less Parisian, more rural. Jacquemus was brought up in Mallemort, a small town in southern France. There, he spent many happy days, under the sun, watching his mother, Valérie, as she exchanged in rapid conversation in the flea markets, and observing the quiet passion of rural life. However, when he was only eighteen, his mother was killed in a car accident. Such an event gave him the impetus to go and establish his own company, Jacquemus, as a tribute to her. Despite the tragic undergirdings of the brand, there is something lovely and heartwarming about his collections. Saturated with nostalgia and the lingering warmth of the French sun, Jacquemus’ clothes are a striking contrast to the rigidity of highstreet fashion.

However, Jacquemus is not totally situated in the countryside. In fact, a large proportion of his fame is due to his social media influence. Taking on such a digital platform, and introducing it to this countrified clothing, may seem rather odd. However, for Jacquemus, this was not a daunting task. Not only is France heralded for its fashion, but the sunkissed figures and French countryside is, in itself, an idyll. And social media largely welcomes idealised pictures of life, in whatever form they may take.

Saturated with nostalgia and the lingering warmth of the French sun, Jacquemus’ clothes are a striking contrast to the rigidity of highstreet fashion.

Jacquemus branched out to make clothing which was more traditionally social media friendly. One of the main collections which secured Jacquemus as a brand was ‘La Bomba’. In it, Jacquemus went to Alice in Wonderland proportions, presenting huge hats and bags, which quickly went viral. Using this as a launchpad, Jacquemus then went on to create the miniscule ‘Le Mini Chiquito’ bag. This also blew up online. The ridiculousness of them was exciting, and played on the youthfulness he had exhibited in other designs.

At only 30 years old, Jacquemus still has a lot to offer. Recently, as one of the first designers to emerge from the Covid pandemic, we saw him deliver a stunning catwalk through fields of wheat, just outside of Paris. It’ll be very interesting to see what the next few years will have to offer for him…