I have this knack for butchering the pronunciation of words. Big or small, some words have a way of fleeing my vocabulary like a getaway car in a high-speed chase. Like, how was I supposed to know that “chia” is not pronounced [chaa-ya]?
Now imagine what happened when I fell in love with a fashion brand that I couldn’t even pronounce. For many years, I have pined over the creations of Simon Porte Jacquemus for his eponymous label Jacquemus.
Problem: I couldn’t tell my “Jacque” from my “mus”. This proved to be problematic as I would always find myself wanting to refer to it in conversation but simply couldn’t.
I eventually just archived it in my mind as the brand with the mismatched geometric sandals (building blocks but make it fashion). Do not even get me started on my urge to incorrectly say “Simon Port-ay” in a very ridiculous attempt to embody an ounce of the finesse that native French speakers convey. Cringe!
Anyway, I’ve finally got the hang of it and you’ll be happy to know that I no longer say [Jah-KEEM-ess].
Thing is, no matter how many times I muck up the pronunciation of this beautiful name, the word Jacquemus is not just a pretty arrangement of letters; it has become a feeling, a mood, a raison d’etre.
In the same way that we may look up the etymology of words to understand their origin, pronunciation and meaning, one can look into a designer’s artistry to understand their core and vice versa.
Collection after collection, we have not just witnessed a story but an ode; to his beautiful late mother Valerie, to the South of France and his own personal evolution. Season after season, I fall more in love and I’m left more in awe. Some of my favourite things about Jacquemus are his intelligent use of colour, his knack for asymmetry and pure off kilter-ness, his love of trompe l’oeil (tricking/deceiving the eye) and whimsical take on otherwise French motifs. His garments strike the perfect balance between architectural origami and romantic fluidity. There is something really imaginative about his use of deconstruction. There is power in his simplicity and simplicity in his power.
I am floored by how much he has accomplished at his age as well as his humble beginnings. From the retail floor at Comme Des Garçons to the runway, he’s a true underdog. Above all else, he is an incredible storyteller. His work is truly referential and seamlessly combines past and present to create a palate cleansing future. With all that joie and all that vivre, how could anyone resist?
THE BEFITTING ROOM 