"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 has 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 in such a short amount of time?
Today, we take 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.
Born on 16 January 1990 in Salon-de-Provence, Simon Porte Jacquemus grew up in a small town in the south of France, the son of farmers. With a very musical father and a mother who was passionate about fashion and a true inspiration for Simon, Porte Jacquemus has always had a connection with the arts. At the age of seven, he made his first skirt out of a linen curtain for his mother, who wore it with pride, emphasising that Simon could be anything he wanted to be. As a child, Simon heard someone say: "If one day you're known in Paris, you'll be known the world over" (Simon Porte Jacquemus, The Cut, 2014). So 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). Unfortunately, after only two months there, he lost his mother, which gave Simon the urge to change his life, as he realised that everything could stop tomorrow.
He dropped out of fashion school and, at the age of 19, spontaneously founded his own fashion brand, which he named it after his mother's maiden name - Jacquemus. The brand thus became a true homage to his mother, Valérie, as he designed it for the girl his mother was. Today, by taking a look at Simon's designs and collections, we can clearly catch a glance of his roots and genuineness. In this way, Jacquemus has become synonymous with naturalness and authenticity.
But founding your own fashion brand right in the heart 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 aspiring designer, especially at such a young age. Simon himself said: "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 has probably been the key to his success. Simon has always believed in his vision and has been a very unconventional creative.
For instance: At the Vogue Fashion Night Out in Paris in 2010 - a fashion event that used to be held in several fashion capitals - Porte Jacquemus presented his designs right in the middle of the streets of Paris by staging a demonstration. His presence generated recognition.
In addition, the limited budget and resources, which Simon faced in his early days as a designer, forced him to be creative and considerate. Pockets were expensive, so he dispensed with them, designing straight skirts and proclaiming his minimalist approach to fashion, which became Jacquemus' trademark.
After his very first collections, Loïc Prigent - a renowned French journalist and documentary filmmaker, well known in the fashion industry - noticed the young fashion designer and became one of the first people to believe in his work. Soon after, Adrian Joffe and Rei Kawakubo, founder and designer of Comme des Garçons, who both invented Dover Street Market, discovered Porte Jacqemus and his extraordinary talent.

They supported the budding designer and Simon decided to work in retail at Commerce des Garçons in Paris.
One day he would design his collection for Fashion Week, the next he would go back to work.
But the Jacquemus success story didn't stop there, instead it gained even more momentum. In the beginning, it seemed natural for Simon to design only womenswear, as he had always drawn clothes 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 made his idea a reality. In 2023, Jacquemus launched its first pieces of furniture in collaboration with Exteta and continues to innovate.
More recently, Jacquemus announced its partnership with L'Oréal Luxe to start its beauty chapter.
So what has been Jacquemus' secret recipe?
Probably Simon himself. The designer began creating a vision for Jacquemus at a very young age, even to the point where he could tell if a certain object looked "Jacquemus-y". "It's a whole universe" (Simon Porte Jacquemus, The Cut, 2014), as he himself says. He doesn't just 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 while staying true to yourself. Therefore, Porte Jacquemus illustrates the importance of believing in yourself and taking uncharted paths to create momentum, especially in the fashion industry.
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