17.01.2023

Materiality, Personality & Identity: The Rise of Jaquemus

Simon portes jacquemus and jacquemus store
Jacquemus's 360° storytelling, social media strategy and charismatic founder combine to create unprecedented success for the brand.

How the Jacquemus brand strategy, consisting of 360° storytelling, social media mastery and charismatic founder combine to create unprecedented success for the brand.

Personality:

Last year, Jacquemus crossed the threshold of making over $100 million in revenue are on track to double to $200 million by the end of the year, making the brand the biggest French breakout success in over a decade. So just what has made Jacquemus and the Jacquemus brand strategy so palatable to the contemporary consumer?

Interestingly, Simon-Portes Jacquemus, the brands charismatic and rugged 32 year old founder, embeds himself effortlessly into the brand strategy and iconography. Lifestyle shots featuring him, his partner and even his adorable dappled daschund are peppered all over the official Instagram account. Unlike controversial creative directors like BALENCIAGA’s Demna who prefers to mask himself behind the brands creative vision, Simon spearheads the brand with himself and carves out his identity as an celebrity-influencer-designer hybrid.

Scrolling through the carefully curated nonchalance of Simon-Portes ‘personal’ social media, his own tastes and personal branding are almost indistinguishable from the fashion houses. This makes the brand seem truly authentic, combined with a tone that is frivolous, playful, simple but also self-aware and often gently tongue-in-cheek. Everything in the brand attitude to the store designs bridge the gap between ‘luxurious and democratic’ with price points to match.

 

“Scrolling through the carefully curated nonchalance of Simon-Portes ‘personal’ social media, his own tastes and personal branding are almost indistinguishable from the fashion houses.”

The Jacquemus instagram feed
Lifestyle shots featuring Simon-Portes, his partner and even his adorable dappled daschund are peppered all over the official Instagram account.

Identity:

Another factor at play is Jacquemus’s brand strategy is emotive storytelling rooted in the south of France, where Simon-Portes grew up. Sun soaked, nostalgic visions of 80’s retro-bliss touch the brand everywhere, as well as imbuing brand moments from the runway show staged in the rolling lavender fields of Provence and the salt flats of Camargue, to the wholesome simplicity of product shots photographed against the beauty of nature.

 

 

Jacquemus runway shows
The Jacquemus runway show staged in the rolling lavender fields of Provence and the salt flats of Camargue, featuring Jorja Smith.

Materiality:

JACQUEMUS’s stores uses different iterations of materiality to lead their store concepts. Just like the rest of Jacquemus brand strategy, the ideas for each are simple, playful and an attempt to evoke the notion of ‘a perpetual summer’ (Simon-Porte’s own words). Each materiality links to the personal (Selfridges blue-tiled pop up was intended to be a surrealist interpretation of Simon-Porte’s own bathroom) and references the brands birthplace of Provence – the clay interior echoing local materials and ‘atmosphere’ of the South of France (AMO), the pillow clad interior of Paris boutique referencing the linens of the region (AMO), and the blue tiled concept executed (Random Studio) evocative of swimming pools, holidays and the simple pleasures of fresh water.

 

Jacquemus store selfridges
The visually simple, impactful, materials led interiors strategy ensures each variation is strikingly unique and effortlessly cohesive to a beautifully choreographed brand narrative.

“Jacquemus store concepts are an ode to Simon-Porte’s Provence origins and proficiency for light minimalism.”

 

 

jacquemus at selfridges
jacquemus at selfridges

Consistent with the rest of Jacquemus’s brand strategy and communications, the stores expertly unite personality (Simon-Portes himself), Identity (their regional birthplace of Provence) and embody the brands signature minimal flair at every turn through playful iterations of materiality. The visually simple, impactful, materials led strategy ensures each variation is strikingly unique and effortlessly cohesive to a beautifully choreographed brand narrative.

 

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