Pure poetry: “Mythes” by Simon Porte Jacquemus
Chapter 1: Falling in love
Like so many fashion lovers sucked into the world of Jacquemus, I first started falling in love the brand during the SS20 show in the lavender fields of Provence. The show felt fresh, modern, dreamy but not in a sugar coated princess way. You could feel the soul of Jacquemus himself and all that he was yearning to share with the world.
As much as I loved the Chiquito bags, I knew the trend would age and mainstream overtime so I really wanted to find a Jacquemus bag that felt like me. Personally in not big on prints and I couldn’t justify spending hundreds on a rattan woven bag at the time so after hours spent online shopping, I finally settled on the “gateaux bag”. A friend of mine was working at Dover Street Market in NYC at the time and was able to get me a discount. I pulled the trigger and I have treasured my only Jacquemus bag ever since.
Chapter 2: Falling out of love
I’d say my peak fan girl moment for the brand was when I stood outside for three hours during the opening of Jacquemus’ first flagship store on Avenue Montaigne. I had just arrived in Paris to start my masters program and I was determined to make the most out of my first PFW. Once inside, I was so excited to experience the brand in its entirety in person. The geometric furniture paralleling the signature square circle motifs so often found in Simon’s designs made the space feel like a true embodiment of the brand and Simon’s vision for the house.
Since then, I had started to loose a bit of interest in the brand. I wasn’t a huge fan of the looks presented at the Versailles show though I did love the theatrics of it all and I wasn’t entirely sold on the looks from the “Les Sculptures” show. It felt like something was missing and from what I could read from other fashion reviewers, it felt like the mainstreaming of Jacquemus started to shed some of its allure. The soulfulness, organic shapes and textures, and underdog nature of the brand is what I loved most and fell in love with. The AI campaigns to me were just not it. Too commercial. Too begging to go viral.
Chapter 3: Encore
About a week ago, on a sunny autumn afternoon like today, I managed to get free tickets to visit the new exhibition at Collège des Bernardins. Titled, “Mythes”, the exposition was one part gallery experience, one part storytelling through Simon’s Porte Jacquemus’ POV.
Upon passing the cream colored curtains, I was immersed in various rooms set up as if one would be passing through the day. The bathroom led to the dressing room which led to the wardrobe and then to my favorite, the orange garden. The room smelled like freshly cut oranges, wood, and sage. Like a warm hug, welcoming you home.
Each little room was staged to look lived in as if someone had just left and only to be coming back soon. Sculptures by Aristide Maillol transformed the spaces to feel both galley-like and homey.
As I walked from room to room it was clear how thoughtfully everything was arranged, curated, and lit. Every angle, considered, every prop highlighted with a story.
I left the exhibition feeling refreshed about the world of Jacquemus. This is what he’s about, the soul, the storytelling, the beauty in the luxury of the simple things in life. This is what I love about the story of Jacquemus. It’s luxury not because it’s expensive but because of the artistry, the story, the point of view that is being shared by the designer himself. I hope Jacquemus and other brands continue to do exhibitions like this. Simply for the sake of inspiration and the chance to connect with a world more beautiful than our own.
Bisous,
Kiana
