Jacquemus Fall/Winter 2014: Paris Fashion Week

Upon arrival at Paris' Palais de Tokyo for the Jacquemus Fall/Winter 2014 show, the designer—in his typical cheeky fashion—dressed the audience up in rice paper-thin translucent scrubs, adorned with occasional splotch shapes. The notion of the uniform plays an important part in Jacquemus’ vision, as he dreamed of making collections about doctors and firefighters when he was young.

When the show began, I was reminded of Matisse's vivid paper compositions. Bare-legged models strode out in white tennis shoes and pop socks to a soundtrack somewhere between merry-go-round jingle and referee’s whistle. The collection was an interplay of synthetics, of cartoon-big volumes and exaggerated shapes that, in brightness, verged upon without ever quite becoming neon—cropped jackets in foamy neoprene with appliqué circles, lifejacket-orange playsuits, Yves Klein blue bras over T-shirts made from net, and A-line mini-dresses out from which knickers peeked through. Oversized shirts and skirts were often worn over slacks, adding a layer of masculinity absent in previous collections; and where his last collection featured text, this one had none. Throughout, the shapes were so elemental, so much like shapes as a child would construct them, it felt as if Anna Karina in Godard’s New Wave classic Pierrot le Fou had taken scissors to her dress before pasting it back together.

Photos by ROMAIN VESIN | E-MAIL US to be notified once the Fall/Winter 2014 collection hits OC!