Le Centre Pompidou &... Simon Porte Jacquemus
At 34, Simon Porte Jacquemus stands at the helm of a fashion house whose creations — and meticulously crafted image, propelled by the force of social media — have captivated audiences worldwide. His eponymous label, Jacquemus (named after his late mother’s maiden name), was founded single-handedly when he was just 19, and by 2022 had crossed the €200 million revenue mark.
Born in Salon-de-Provence, Jacquemus has drawn from his southern roots from the very beginning, making the South of France one of the essential materials of his creative language. His runway shows — staged in settings that borrow their scenography from nature or architecture, from lavender fields and the gardens of Versailles to the Maeght Foundation and Villa Malaparte — are emblematic of a vision that is both poetic and spectacular.
His runway shows — staged in settings that borrow their scenography from nature or architecture, from lavender fields and the gardens of Versailles to the Maeght Foundation and Villa Malaparte — are emblematic of a vision that is both poetic and spectacular.
Though the natural world and the saturated tones of the Mediterranean remain deep sources of inspiration, it is his play of references, his minimalist aesthetic, and his commitment to accessible fashion that define Simon Porte Jacquemus’s practice. As he unveils a new collaboration with Nike for the Paris Olympic Games, we meet the man behind the images.
“What I love about the Centre Pompidou are the primary colours of its façade — so pop, so graphic. There’s also something airy, almost space age about the building, despite its metal and glass. I’ve thought about staging a show there, but it hasn’t happened — yet. I often go to the Bibliothèque publique d'information (Bpi) to search for prints and spark inspiration.
Matisse, for me, is an endless source of inspiration. I discovered his work when I was barely a teenager, and it was a shock — a revelation. La Danse, painted in 1910, remains my favourite painting to this day. Alongside Picasso, he defines a visual world that I carry with me constantly. I’m drawn to his palette, his collages. As Kandinsky so precisely put it: 'Picasso is form; Matisse is colour.'
As Kandinsky said: “Picasso is form; Matisse is colour”.
Simon Porte Jacquemus
I was born in Provence, and the South is everywhere in Matisse. It runs through my work like a thread. In my “Coup de soleil” collection, shown in June 2019, I designed a bag that echoed Matissean motifs — plants, fruit, a chair — and I called it Le Tableau. It was done in the style of, just as I sometimes do with Picasso or Hockney, who’s another key influence for me.
My work is always steeped in references, but never in imitation. I’ve been reinterpreting Matisse’s paintings since I was 22 — it's become an obsession. Recently, for my Instagram, I recreated a Matisse-inspired scene in a swimming pool, with cut-out-style foliage. My fashion is pop, easy to understand. Everyone brings their own story to it — it remains accessible. I don’t have an art education, barely even a formal fashion education. I create by instinct.” ◼
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In the calendar
Portrait of Simon Porte Jacquemus, ceramic by Pablo Picasso for Madoura, Vallauris (Galerie Chenel)
Photo © Vincent Desailly