Tired of fashion feuds? The post-Galliano drama at Dior, Saint-Laurent without Yves, Cathy Horyn’s twitterclash with Oscar de la Renta (first served) and Hedi Slimane (came after) and so on… it seems like designers rarely get in the spotlight anymore for what they actually do – designing. In order to take a step back from the ongoing madness we talked to one of them, Christophe Lemaire, who only pushes the needle where it belongs – in garments, not in people’s self-esteem.
Directing both Hermès womenswear and his own eponymous brand, Lemaire might have a double life when it comes to fashion design but he managed to keep his feet on the ground while successfully leading both labels and it’s precisely his discreet attitude and bold tailoring which earned him the respect of his peers.
“I’m certainly not the only one who thinks like this among the designers, but I am interested in a lot of things apart from fashion”, says Lemaire when asked about his inspirations. “I was a DJ [Lemaire released the mixtape “Where are you from?” on Now-Again Records in 2011] and I stopped it because I had too much work, but music in general has still a great influence on me. I’m in love with culture and spirituality in general and also politics. You have to understand your own generation if you want to make suitable clothing as a designer.”
Just as discrete as her creator, Lemaire’s spring/summer 2013 woman feels more at ease in the comfort of her home than on the runway. Lemaire plays with both masculine aesthetics and casual couture spirits, thereby creating an effortless and timeless style. “It takes a certain maturity and intellectual background to be a designer. I am not trying to be pretentious by saying this, I guess it’s the same for every other artist; you need to have a coherent discourse through your work and this is something you usually get with time and experience”, adds Lemaire.
The scenery of the presentation itself was all about cosiness and nonchalance: models strolled around a minimally furnished apartment in the very heart of Paris, sometimes mimicking a catnap or taking a tea break. Fashion shown through everyday scenes that seem way more natural than a runway. When it comes to femininity, Lemaire has a precise idea in mind: “I cannot identify with the constant will of changing styles and attitudes every six months; this is just not adapted to real life. I’m lucky enough to work for a traditional house like Hermès, which is staying true to its signature style. We’re all about luxurious utility, not unwearable fashion that follows trends. My ideal woman is all about dignity and modesty, she’s simply real. Not the woman that our society and showbusiness has been making up for a while: an eccentric creature, almost plastic, which uses her exaggerated sex appeal, walking on 12cm heels. And this is supposed to be natural?
And natural it is! Christophe Lemaire indeed did justice to real femininity in his latest spring/summer collection. Particular eyecatchers were men’s costume-inspired trousers in denim or topstitched gabardine came along with boyish shirts and loose-fit pyjama inspired dresses in cotton poplins and linen. Fitted trenches were sported easily on the shoulders, while some button plackets on shirts where sometimes left open and belts worn loose in order to underscore Lemaire’s easy-chic. As for the colour palette, the Matisse-inspired hues were all about ultramarine, amber, grass green and coral. Berlin people can be happy: Weekday is from now on selling the very best of Christophe Lemaire’s collections.