Excitement around Jacquemus’ upcoming ready-to-wear “Le Palmier” collection needed no help. The runway took care of that. What did need clarifying, though, was the label’s emotional center. So, days before the show, Simon Porte Jacquemus made quiet the announcement, the first brand ambassador in the house’s history. And it felt personal, because it was.
Less than a week before the show, Simon posted a cryptic Instagram story. “Good evening. This week I’ll announce my very first Jacquemus ambassador… I can’t believe it. See you soon.” The guessing game began immediately, supermodel, actress, pop star, all predictable. The announcement wasn’t. Liline Jacquemus, his 79-year-old grandmother got the title. And we couldn’t be happier. Fans didn’t need a second glance, she’d been in Simon’s 2020 summer campaign, shot at home during the pandemic.
“Before Jacquemus existed, she was already my inspiration. Her strength, her elegance, her authenticity… she shaped the way I see women, and the way I imagine this Maison.” But with that honor comes rules. As Simon wrote in his announcement post “The ambassador must not pronounce the names of other fashion houses. The ambassador must not wear any other brand, archive, label, or ‘just something comfortable’ comfort is conceptual. The ambassador must not remove Jacquemus pieces at home, at night, or in dreams.” You get it. In a world obsessed with worshipping “star faces”, Liline is more than welcome. Just like family values, real inspiration, and raw emotions. Fashion actually needed her.
It all started with little teaser videos that carried the name of the collection, and… well, palm-tree hairstyles. That iconic ’80s-it style, made just weird enough to be cool. Even the invitations to the show came with a comb and a Jacquemus’ step-by-step guide to the perfect, proudly standing palmier. So yes, it was a pretty fun collection, but the fun didn’t end on the head. “I wanted to have this strong woman, the spirit of the ’80s, the cut of the ’50s, and the sensuality of the ’90s,” the creative told Vogue.
Think hourglass silhouettes, huge hats, not just the elegant kind, but also the kind a 5-year-old birthday boy would approve of. Blacks and vivid colors like reds, yellows, and turqoises, patterns like polka dots and animal prints, fringes everywhere. And when I saw everywhere, I mean at the Picasso Museum where everything took place, let’s not forget his love for Paloma and Pablo Picasso. His finale was a recreation of the dress painted in “Woman with a Fan” after all. One shoulder, glass in the right place, and Jacquemus reminding us of what matters.
