French creator portrait : Jacquemus, the fashion rebel and the lover of art of living

The art of storytelling is now a marketing strategy that allows you to bring depth to your brand, and ultimately to become attached to it. But you have to know how to master it. Simon Porte Jacquemus is the creator of the ready-to-wear brand JACQUEMUS. A great lover of images and photography, he has the power to say a lot by showing little. He has literally shaken up the rigid and inaccessible codes of luxury by reappropriating them, making them more sunny and affordable. Focus on the success story of the entrepreneur, stylist and content creator Jacquemus.

The success story of Jacquemus: between dream, courage and splendor

A creative and optimistic child

Simon was born in the 90s in a small country village in the South of France. He grew up in the sun, not far from the sea with his family. Raised in a warm and friendly home, Simon was an active child, full of ideas and smiles. At the age of 8 he was taking fabrics to make dresses that he would then give to his mother. A few years later, she was killed in a car accident. Simon was completely disoriented and realized the “ephemeral” nature of life. Since then, his priorities have changed.

The rage to shine, as a tribute to his mother

He managed to continue his studies until he was 19 years old and finally quit everything to launch his brand JACQUEMUS, his mother’s family name. With no training, no money, no contacts, Simon made a name for himself in the fashion industry thanks to the sweat of his brow and the nerve of a young entrepreneur. In 2010, he was spotted at the Vogue Fashion Night Out, he managed to speak with Emmanuelle Alt (editor-in-chief of Vogue France) during an exit of a Dior fashion show and then ended up participating in the Paris Fashion Week in 2012. However, during the day Simon sells sweaters and perfumes in the boutique “Comme des Garçons”, it is at night that he creates and imagines his fashion shows. Again, the efforts finally pay off in 2015 when Simon receives the LVMH prize for “Young Fashion Designers”. He launched his first men’s collection in 2018 and then celebrated the brand’s 10th anniversary 2 years later by creating a fashion show in the middle of a lavender field. Simon set up a flashy pink carpet in the heart of the earthy mauve of Provence’s lavenders. A master stroke that earned him hundreds of media coverage. Then in 2020, a few months after the first confinement, Simon organized his fashion show “Love” in a wheat field. An event that also generated a lot of interest in the press and especially on social networks.

A spirit shaped by aesthetics, color and goodness

What makes the JACQUEMUS brand revolutionary in its field is probably its history. Simon embodies the joyful and sunny man. His southern origins make him welcoming and distance him from the Parisian snobbery that haute-couture designers can reject. He himself says it, he wants to get closer to his public, being grateful to them. On his Instagram account, he shares his vacation spots, good times with family or lover, shows the backstage of a photo shoot, etc. Simon is transparent with his community and affirms his taste for beautiful things. Although they can be quite ordinary. It can be a vase of flowers on a table, the view from a window, flowing water, but Simon has the ability to bringing charm to banalities and handles simplicity with delicacy.  “When I was young, it wasn’t clothes that made an impression on me, but TV, photos and ads. Creating a story with images has always fascinated me,” he says. Simon Jacquemus is an inspired and inspiring man.

Iconic pieces Made by Jacquemus

After 12 years in fashion, Jacquemus has managed to create iconic pieces. Some designers represent a decade by themselves. Think of Yves Saint Laurent and his vision of the independent woman in the 70s or Thierry Mugler in the 80s. Simon, through his creations and his state of mind, embodies the world today by making fashion joyful, playful and inclusive. Here are some representative of the brand.

The chiquito

This is the it-bag signed Jacquemus. It is characterized by its tiny size (barely enough to fit a phone) but it brings style to an outfit or it is the detail that is needed. Its trapeze shape and its long strap have seduced the fashion and popular personalities of the moment such as Kendall Jenner, Hailey Baldwin, Beyonce or Rihanna. It has since been declined in several sizes and colors such as black, powder pink, lilac, yellow, off-white, brown…

The XXL floppy hat

In summer, the straw hat is a basic. In Europe, it has a deep place in fashion history. At the time it was the symbol of beauty and nobility and remains today a summer accessory of great elegance. Jacquemus, which defines itself as a sunny, sensual and hedonistic brand, has surfed on this symbolism… by making it even more imposing. In 2018, Simon imagines an XXL capeline, going from the head to the bottom of the bust. Once again, the piece is worn by American models with millions of followers and makes it a new trend. You will have understood that Jacquemus loves excessiveness.

The artichoke bob

Declined in bright colors or pastels, the bob adventurer now has its place in town. More discreet than the XXL cape, it is a trendy accessory especially among the younger generation. Indeed, if worn with confidence and style, the bob is an original way to dress the face and color an outfit. It’s all about attitude, Jacquemus says.