Porte currently styles himself with Simon Porte Jacquemus. It’s a hybrid of man and brand, conveniently a promotional pun in French (‘Simon Wears Jacquemus’). And he wears his products not only on the runways and red carpets, but in all the rhythms of daily life that look glamorous. People feel like they know him from his personal Instagram feed, which has 300,000 followers (not to mention the brand’s much larger but intimate-looking account). This feed functions as four parts: a personal diary, a global marketing platform, and a window. It showcases, as he puts it, “the world of Jacquemus.” “Models, photographers, everything we work with can be very uplifting,” says her husband, Marco Maestri, a viral marketer who consults for brands. “But everyone can feel part of the Jacquemus story.” Designers traditionally portray themselves in public, often as preening demigods or loud, cranky eccentrics. However, the atmosphere that Porto Jacquemus gives off is neither. He grew up in the south of France, and from his feed and platform he appears laid-back, sun-drenched, semi-amphibious, and energized by human charm. An architect friend of mine, who is not particularly knowledgeable about fashion, said on Instagram that he became aware of this brand after being shocked by Porte Jacquemus’ “very impressive chest hair.”
When you see Porte Jacquemus in person, it initially looks true to its Instagram-filtered form. He was medium-sized, with the physique of a rolling gymnast, a brown beard, a wide-toothed grin, and an air of freshness even in Paris, where he worked. When I first met him at Jacquemus’ new 8th arrondissement headquarters (a geometric minimalist building of his own interior design, with terracotta floors and other symbols of the warm south of France), he gave me a private He led me to the terrace. It is decorated with lemon trees. “Sometimes when I’m here on the terrace, I think, ‘Oh, Simon, enjoy this moment, because you never know what’s going to happen next,'” he says, staring out at the trees. At a time when Parisian fashion and French fashion are considered interchangeable and the windows of Place Vendôme are thought to represent national tastes, Porte Jacquemus claims something different. Rather than focusing on chic fragrances and powerwear, the label is represented by striped beach towels and bags in shades of Jacques Demy. Porto Jacquemus is wearing a big white t-shirt, black shorts, and lemon yellow Chuck Taylor high-tops today, as if he’s ready to grab a towel and head out, now where? ? “Sous les pavés, la plage” was the old slogan of May ’68. There is a beach under the paving stones. In Jacquemus’ Paris, you almost believe it’s true.
To create his first collection in 2009, he bought several yards of fabric and consulted local seamstresses. “I said, ‘How much does it cost to make a skirt?'” She was like, “150.” I was like, “If I get 100, I’ll come back tomorrow.” He then designed his own website, complete with the brand’s relaxed shine. For a while, he worked at Comme des Garçons, running the brand as a salesman rather than a designer, seeing up close how products connect with shoppers. As his profile grew, Jacquemus and his creator were described as “sneaky” for his relaxed demeanor and regal Fauve-print shirts. In caricature, the label is a brand of sunbathers, cliff divers, erotic novels, and boat partyers, and its founder is the mastermind. “He’s just having a good time and is a very free spirit,” he says. Dua Lipa has been one of Porte Jacquemus’ close friends and muses since they met on a French TV show in 2018. “He’s the go-to guy not only in everyday life but also on the dance floor.”
