Jacquemus’s Latest Show Was Inspired by Princess Diana
When you get burned out at work, the joke is always: Let’s quit our jobs and run away to the South of France. If any one person could actually convince you to take that leap, it would be designer Simon Porte Jacquemus. Since 2009, his eponymous brand has sold a vision of an eternal French summer by the ocean. To be a Jacquemus girl is to have not a care in the world, which is why your mini Chiquito bag—the brand’s signature–is the size of your palm and can hold absolutely nothing of use. You spend your days lounging in fields of lavender wearing teeny-tiny tops held together by the smallest pin at the chest, and your out-of-office email is always on.
Yesterday, Jacquemus held its Fall 2023 show, titled “Le Chouchou,” in Versailles. The runway—like, the actual physical runway—went viral before a model even walked down it, because it was laid out along the water, with guests seated in white rowboats floating on the Grand Canal.
The front row included celebrities in pairings both expected (Victoria and David Beckham) and delightfully surprising (Colombian pop star Karol G and image architect Law Roach). The photos circulating felt different from the standard front-row shots. There was less smizing and more smiling, as if people were actually on vacation, which is truly the Jacquemus way. It’s why his venues almost always go so viral—people want to go to there, and his clothing is the one-way ticket.
Ahead of the show, the designer told WWD that the venue was fulfilling a childhood dream. “We are not going to take a literal approach, so it will be a slightly more poetic Versailles than the classic Versailles extolled by the big French houses,” he said. The collection certainly was far from traditional. The bulbous lace silhouettes and bows typical of formal court attire were present, but reimagined as miniskirts and see-through lingerie tops. Square-toe ballet pumps were worn with knee-high white lace socks embroidered with floral prints.
Along with Versailles itself, Jacquemus cited Princess Diana as an inspiration, which was most evident in the sapphire pearl jewelry that adorned Kendall Jenner’s neck and ears, a clear nod to Di’s famous engagement ring and revenge dress choker. Jenner’s large puff top engulfed her entire torso like a cloud, which also could be seen as a callback to Princess Diana’s puff-sleeve wedding gown.
In contrast, Gigi Hadid’s look was entirely sheer, held together by thin straps tied into bows revealing a white bandeau top and panties. Imaan Hammam wore a structured blazer nipped at her hips with a strap fastened along her collarbones, and a pair of white bubble micro shorts styled over stockings with black cap-toe Mary Janes. On her finger dangled a Jacquemus bag the size of her pinkie. Ahead of the show, she post a photo to her Instagram Story of the mood board backstage. In the corner, the Princess Diana outfit that Hammam's look was modeled after was clearly visible: the striped puffball skirt Lady Di wore to Cannes in 1987, styled underneath a tight white blazer with black cap-toe pumps.
Danish model Mona Tougaard closed the show in a bright red nipple-baring lace top left unbuttoned at her belly, falling into a long thin train that trailed behind her and blended into the runway. The two models who walked before her wore the same exact look but rendered in blue and white; the three appeared in the order of the colors on the French flag.
The show is trending on Twitter, where it has sparked a conversation about the Marie Antionette and Princess Di references, as well as the brand’s progression. But the one thing everyone is saying could have been anticipated easily days ago: “I wish I were there.”
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