JACQUEMUS: Reimagining Design & Collaboration
Simon Porte Jacquemus, the visionary behind the French luxury (and widely mis-pronounced) brand Jacquemus, has emerged as an icon in the world of art, fashion, design and collaboration. Though the brand really made a name for itself with the Le Chiquito Handbag, Simon very soon proved to be more than the tiny brightly coloured bags that broke the internet. The fashion house has now become synonymous with its seductive play of proportions, deconstructed yet whimsical silhouettes and minimalistic take on Parisian fashion. His attention to form, especially in the design of women’s-wear has now extended past the realm of delicate materials and runway pieces, into mens fashion and most recently has been taken to the streets through collaboration.
Jacquemus has made an undeniable mark on the fashion industry, leaving an enduring legacy that extends beyond traditional boundaries. One of the defining characteristics of Jacquemus' influence on the industry is his transformative approach to Fashion Week. Breaking away from conventional runway presentations, his shows often feature breathtaking landscapes, unconventional settings, and a harmonious blend of art and fashion. By infusing his presentations with a sense of wanderlust and poetic storytelling, Jacquemus has redefined the fashion show as an art form, making each event a memorable spectacle that transcends the mere display of clothing.
Simon has a unique ability to capture the essence of the sun-soaked landscapes of his native Provence, infusing his collections with a refreshing and effortless elegance. His commitment to authenticity and ability to evoke emotion through fashion resonates across all global aesthetics and so the balance which Simon strikes in his reimagining of the way clothing is showcased, reinventing classic designs and his use of materials and colours, makes him the perfect collaborator in any partnership.
In a groundbreaking move that further solidified his influence, Jacquemus entered the realm of sportswear through his 2022 collab with Nike. “For this collaboration with Nike, I wanted to create a collection that reinterprets athletic women’s sportswear in a minimal way” and so we were presented with the transformed and revived 1997 Air Humara in Beige, Brown and later a bright Pink colourway.
A year on from the Jacquemus x Nike collab, the pair came together and opted for a less sleek and simple design, but rather experimented with redesigning arguably the most famous Nike silhouette of all time- the Air Force 1. Officially dubbed the J Force 1 Low, the sneaker replaced the classic’s usual sole unit for one reminiscent to that of the ACG Terra. Save for this detail as well as the miniature, metallic Swoosh affixed to the side, the show stays pretty faithful to Bruce Kilgore’s original blueprint, releasing in a 'black', 'white' and 'mandarin orange' (read: Shelflife orange) colourway.
Among the three colourways, the orange rendition is both the most different and the most talked-about for a multitude of reasons. While its monochromatic counterparts feature a mostly leather build, the orange version arrives with a suede upper, mesh middle and toe box and is also the only edition with gold-tone hardware and contrasting laces. The juxtaposition of the white laces and the textile interwoven into the sole provides a strong contrast against its base palette. The outsole of its AF1 canvas has been overhauled too, substituted by the waffle traction pattern and ‘Jacquemus’ branding as well a classin Nike swoosh.
Most notably, andd unlike the other colourways of the JF1’s which were available on Nike.com and pretty accessibly globally, the Orange colourway released exclusively on the Jacqeumus website and sold out within minutes, making it one of the rarest sneaker to hit the sneaker world in a very very long time.
By redefining the fashion show experience, infusing his designs with a distinct aesthetic, and successfully collaborating with a streetwear giant like Nike, Jacquemus has proven that innovation and tradition can coexist. Bella Hadid was definitely right when she said in her faux-French accent “Simon is the best, no?”
