Meet the Jacquemus man: Simon Porte shows us his first men’s collection
It was situated on a sequestered beach at the Calanques between Marseille and Cassis (prepare for destination envy) that Simon Porte Jacquemus chose to reveal to us what his much-anticipated menswear would ultimately look like. With so much designer topsy-turvy these days, it’s refreshing to see one so devoted to writing his own narrative–Abloh falls into this category. Designing for a massive luxury house like Vuitton isn’t part of the script for Simon, he’s made this clear, Jacquemus is his house. Each collection, including their imperfections, is imparted with an ephemera-like dictum: Mallemort-born Simon is in love with France; childhood; Spring/Summer’s La Bomba was his mother; and for his first men’s collection titled “Le Gadjo”, Simon said he decided to do menswear because he had fallen in love with a man. Le Gadjo is Simon’s freshman collection for men and the designer didn’t attempt to translate his beloved woman into something she was not–a guy. This was expected when weeks ago through his Instagram he posted an image of the burly French Rugby player, Yoann Maestri, and introduced him as the “first Jacquemus man”. What was sent down the sandy runway was not sportswear; it was straightforward, tailored and practical much like Simon dresses daily. On his Jacquemus men, his clothes recited playful design signatures like primary colors, humor and the idea of packing for a never-ending vacation through the South of France. If we know anything about Simon this is likely a story that will unfold in real time.
