Guillaume Henry is the man of the hour at Paris Fashion Week. His current impact on the French fashion scene is so big that his work for Carven was showcased in two fully packed shows, instead of one. EVERYBODY attended the Jeu de Paume location, from Anna Wintour to Kate Lanphear. The show was delayed because of the little accident at Balenciaga’s before: the benches broke down, sending the whole first row crashing to the floor. Meaning that Guillaume Henry had a tough crowd of irritated editors and buyers on his hands, yet he still managed to lighten things up with a fresh start. It is under Henry’s direction that the dusty couture house swiftly turned into a glamorous ready-to-wear brand. He delivers twisted girly designs, reinventing Carven whilst paying homage to its roots. Carven now more than before, stands for a democratic vision of fashion, appealing to women who identify with freshness and simplicity. sleek spoke to Henry backstage immediately after the show.
sleek: You’re showing a lot of traditional references within Carven’s new spring/summer ready-to-wear collection. Is an artisanal work procedure precious to you, a new way of bounding with the traditional values of Carven?
Guillaume Henry: I think that tradition matters, because I like to create an authentic collection, and authenticity mostly includes an artisanal way of working. I am always inspired by accessible values, things that are surrounding us, and indeed for this collection I had a big focus on folkloric elements. Some leather dresses were inspired by blacksmith aprons, we even used knitted muslin in this collection, as we tried to use modern fabrics with a traditional twist.
sleek: How would you describe the femininity of your new collection?
GH: The Carven woman is not a teenager anymore, but not a woman yet; she’s in between these two life phases. In this collection, the pieces are still referring to uniforms, but I also see a girl coming straight out of some tiny villages in the mountains, being more colourful than before, like a girl lost in a carnival somewhere in Eastern Europe.
sleek: Carven first communicated your arrival in a very discreet way: before showcasing your collections through a fashion show, you opted for simple showroom presentations; how come you’re suddenly aiming for fully packed shows? What is the next step in the evolution of the brand?
GH: I think we are not disproportional, people like Carven because we made it pretty accessible. I don’t look at my shows like usual catwalks. Carven’s evolution therefore goes on very naturally. I simply don’t see runway models on stage, but rather girls walking around in a certain space I created. “Catwalk” is just not an appropriated word I would use to describe my presentations and to be honest, I don’t think about the future that much. Tomorrow is the next step, so we’ll see!
Photos by Morganistik