JACQUEMUS: The brand of the Zeitgeist

When you think Jacquemus, you think destination. Scenic landscapes of Marseille or Hawaii, adventures of the effortlessly chic. Jacquemus sells more than merchandise it sells a lifestyle, a universe to insert yourself into or at least get a taste of by incorporating one or more of its products into your wardrobe. Being an entry-level luxury brand, appealing to the middle-market millennial it's easy to get your hands on a slice of what Simon serves every season.

Jacquemus welcomes the zeitgeist with open arms bringing freshness to the fashion landscape since creating arguably the most Instagramable brand of the last 10 years. Doubling gross sales in 2022 at over 200 million with plans to reach 500 million within 5 years, what makes this fashion darling an anomaly in this vast market?

To grasp the triumph of Simon Porte Jacquemus’ imprint on the fashion world, it would be ignorant to not acknowledge his humble beginnings which are imbued so heavily into the brand. His upbringing in Southern France has influenced his collections since debuting at Paris Fashion Week in 2012. But it’s not only the garments in which his playful simplicity has patined. The root of Simon Porte’s success lies in authenticity.

Steering away from the route of establishing himself in the industry by obtaining a degree in design before clawing his way up the ranks of a major fashion house. Simon rather favoured the unconventional college drop-out who worked at Comme Des Garcon as a Sales Assistant. Starting his label at 19 with €2,000 to his name. In the words of Adrian Joffe, Simon possessed a ‘freshness, originality and most important a strong vision’ he was ‘so grounded, and so clear... about what he wants to do, and what he wants to achieve’. Spontaneously wandering around Marché Saint-Pierre, Simon sought out a seamstress in a curtain shop and asked her to make a skirt for €100 (she quoted him 150), the atoms of a first collection followed soon after. But this was not a decision made on the fly, more so a full circle moment that parallels a time he made his mother a skirt from a curtain as a child.

You can not separate Jacquemus’ primary muse from the designer himself, the two are so intrinsically linked, she birthed him. Valerie (maiden name Jacquemus), who passed a few years prior to him embarking on his première collection, is the pillar in everything Simon creates. The Spring 2018 collection, an ode to her, was notably a pivotal moment in his career. Showcasing the now recognisable silhouettes at the Museé Picasso we know and love him for - oversized accessories, deconstructed shirts bound at the belly button, gathered waists, gathered hips, scantily dresses and chunky heels made out of shapes that resemble infancy. This collection is where Jacquemus arrived, gaining notability from the industry and scoring major stockists. Simon found the perfect balance of walking the line between commercial and conceptual.

‘I don’t do clothes, I do stories’

Storytelling is what connects any audience to a brand and this is something Jacquemus effortlessly leverages through social media. Since it's inception, the consumer has been fed the signifiers and visual language which the brand is built on via the intertwined business and personal Instagram account. This convergence allows Simon to connect directly to consumers making him more relatable diverting from the traditional untouchable troupe between designer and consumer, a way Olivier Rousteing of Balmain paved the way for. When you think of Jacquemus, you think of a bed in the middle of a wheat field at sunset, Laetitia Casta’s backless portrait by Jean-Paul Goude, Shocking Pink or a 1950s Jacques Tati film; you think Lavender fields, a dachshund named TouTou or Hans Feuer's for the Pirelli Calendar. All of these things exist on planet Jacquemus and everyone is welcome to orbit.

Each collection transports you to a different world all attached to the same nucleus, and lends itself to the trends at present or creates the trends that follow.

There's a novelty to the products the brand offers, take the mini Chiquito bag for example, had fashion influencers in a choke hold in 2019, which got campified even further by being turned into earrings and necklaces. This is part of Simon's genius understanding that every successful fashion house has an It Bag that drives sales, and funds collections. And well, if you can't afford the bag here are some earrings of said bag. In retrospect, it took 4 years for Prada's now infamous nylon backpack to grow legs where as the Chiquito gained popularity the same year of it's launch. Another string to Jacquemus' bow of success is the integration on staple items that reoccur each season, be it the La Bahia shirt or Pralu cardigan, creating repeat styles in different colourways or fabric keeps the consumer returning for their favourites.

It's clear to see that Simon has a whimsical approach to design which bleeds through into attention-grabbing marketing. Take the 24hr vending machines filled with accessories to auto-mobolised Bambino bags as examples creating perfect photo-ops and viral moments. It's also worth mentioning the innovative buy now model that the brand follows, selling directly to the consumer in a matter of weeks since previewing a collection, diverting from the archaic fashion cycle, and catering to the instant gratification of falling in love with a product and being able to attain with little delay.

The early take on his target audience being ‘a sporty young girl, wearing flat shoes and no makeup’ still rings true, a fitting description of front row frequent Tina Kunakey or the face of their campaign with Nike Jorja Smith. Which leads to the success of the collaboration. Aligning with top 10 selling brand Nike only expanded Jacquemus' reach and firmly placed it in the lifestyle category allowing for future collaboration with Copenhagen textile company Tekla just the following year, firmly bringing sportswear and homeware into the equation. Pair that with captivating campaign imagery that enriches the brand's stance in a saturated market reinforcing brand identity.

For a generation that is moved by experience, travel, aesthetics and novelty. Jacquemus is always at the forefront of what is the latest {insert shoe, bag, statement colour here}, intentional or not. From the Fall 21 'La Montagne' collection inspired by the recent affinity for nature and exploration of the outdoors, staged at a film studio complete with the scent of fresh grass and birds chirping, to Spring Summer 24 ' Le ChouChou' which embraced fashion's current obsession with ballerinas; cute heeled pointe shoes, voluminous skirts that resemble tu-tu’s and a monochromatic colour palette. Simon understands the diversity of his customer is able to captivate each of them at every level.

Another embracing quality is the independence of it all, refusing to sell to LVMH despite being a previous winner of the coveted LVMH prize. Jacquemus is a stand-alone fashion brand not attached to or controlled by a billion-dollar conglomerate, allowing full creative freedom and decision-making. Being almost 15 years old, with a joie de vivre and happy-go-lucky essence Jacquemus has proved longevity through savvy marketing, simplistic design and a palatable image.