"I don't do clothes, I do stories."
A portrait of Simon Porte Jacquemus
"I always dreamed of coming to Paris"
Simon Porte Jacquemus in an interview by The Cut in 2014
Jacquemus. A brand that can't be imagined away of today's fashion realm. A brand that somehow managed to position itself in a landscape full of fashion designer brands within only 16 years. But what is the secret of Jaquemus becoming a distinctive aspirational luxury label within such a short amount of time?
Today we are taking a closer look at one of the most successful and talented designers of our century to catch a glimpse at what makes Jacquemus so unique.
Simon Porte Jacquemus, born on the 16th of January 1990 in Salon-de-Provence, grew up in a small town in the South of France as a son of farmers. With his father being very musical and his mother being passionated about fashion and a true inspiration for Simon, Porte Jacquemus has always had a connection to the arts. At the age of round about seven he created his first skirt out of a linen curtain for his mother who wore it proudly, underlining that Simon could be everything he wants to be. As a child, Simon once heard someone say: "If one day you are known in Paris, you'll be known the world over" (Simon Porte Jacquemus, The Cut, 2014). Therefore, Paris became his great dream. At the age of 18, after finishing school, Porte Jacquemus finally moved to the French fashion capital to study at ESMOD (École supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode). After being there for only two months, he unfortunately lost his mother, creating an urge for Simon to make a shift in his life as he realized how everything can stop tomorrow.
He dropped out of fashion school and spontaneously founded his own fashion brand at the age of 19, naming it after his mother's maiden name - Jacquemus. Hence, the brand became a true homage to his mother Valérie as he designed it for the girl his mother was. Even now we can glance Simon's roots and genuineness in his designs and collections. Like that, Jacquemus came to be the synonym for naturalness and authenticity.
But founding your own fashion brand right in the middle of Paris is as easy as it sounds like. Not at all!
The fashion industry has been very closed, rising a grand challenge for an upcoming designer - especially at such a young age. Simon said by himself : "I ignored a lot of rules, but I'm still here" (Simon Porte Jacquemus, The Cut, 2014). More than a decade later, we can say that this probably has been the crux for his success. Simon has always believed in his vision and has been quite unconventional creative.
For instance: At the Vogue Fashion Night Out in Paris in 2010 - a past fashion event that took place in several fashion metropolises - Porte Jacquemus showcased his designs right in the middle of the streets of Paris by staging a demonstration. His appearance creating recognition.
Besides, the limitation in budget and resources, which Simon faced in his early stages as a designer, forced him to be creative and considerate. Pockets were expensive, so he just forwent them, designing straight skirts and proclaiming his minimalistic approach to fashion that became truly distinctive for Jacquemus.
After his very first collections Loïc Prigent - a renowned French journalist and documentary filmmaker who is well-known in the fashion industry - became aware of the young fashion designer and like that one of the first persons who believed in his work. Shortly after, Adrian Joffe and Rei Kawakubo, founder and designer of Comme des Garçons, who both invented Dover Street Market, discovered Porte Jacqemus and his outstanding talent.
They supported the upcoming designer and Simon took the decision to work in retail at Commerce des Garçons in Paris.
One day designing his collection for Fashion Week, the next day going back to work.
Yet, the success story of Jacquemus didn't end there, instead it gained even more momentum. In the beginning, it seemed natural to Simon to only design womenswear as he has always drawn garments for women when he was young. In 2018, he finally presented his first menswear collection called "Le Gadjo".

Furthermore, he shared in an interview with ALLA CARTA in 2015 that he would like to create Jacquemus furniture in the future. Just a few years later he brings his idea to life. In 2023, Jacquemus launched its first pieces of furniture in cooperation with Exteta and keeps on being innovative.
Just recently, Jacquemus announced its partnership with L'Oréal Luxe to begin its beauty chapter.
So what has been Jacquemus' secret recipe?
Probably Simon himself. The designer started to create a vision for Jacquemus at a very young age, even leading him to a point where he was able to tell if a certain object looks "Jacquemus"-y. "It's a whole universe" (Simon Porte Jacquemus, The Cut, 2014), as he says by himself. He doesn't only design clothes, but rather writes stories by capturing moments and feelings in his designs - underlining his love for the cinema.
Jacquemus is authentic, effortless and fun. It is about trying new things, though staying true to yourself. Therefore, Porte Jacquemus illustrates how crucial it is to believe in yourself and to take unknown paths in order to create momentum - especially in the fashion industry.
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