Mode – Numéro Berlin https://www.numeroberlin.de Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:25:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 GUCCI: THE ART OF SILK https://www.numeroberlin.de/2025/04/gucci-the-art-of-silk/ Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:25:29 +0000 https://www.numeroberlin.de/?p=58880 A timeless silk journey celebrating heritage, artistic innovation, and cultural legacy.

Gucci unveils The Art of Silk, a project that celebrates the brand’s heritage in silk craftsmanship while exploring new artistic expressions. The campaign, starring actress Julia Garner and photographed by Steven Meisel, captures the fluid beauty of silk in motion, set against the backdrop of a city at night.
At its core is Gucci’s iconic Flora motif, a timeless symbol of elegance that continues to evolve for a modern audience. Whether worn as a scarf, draped effortlessly, or caught mid-motion, silk remains a defining element of Gucci’s legacy, embodying both sophistication and self-expression.

Keep it Gucci: The Art of Silk

Through Steven Meisel’s lens, The Art of Silk campaign tells a visual story of mystery, movement and allure. The nocturnal setting enhances the interplay of light and fabric, transforming silk into more than just material: it becomes an extension of the wearer’s personality. Gucci’s Flora motif takes center stage, reinforcing the House’s enduring spirit and timeless craftsmanship in every delicate fold and drape.

90 x 90 Project

As part of this celebration, Gucci introduces the 90 x 90 Project, a creative initiative where nine international artists reimagine five signature scarf themes: Flora, fauna, nautical, equestrian, and the GG Monogram. The name reflects the classic 90 cm x 90 cm silk twill scarf, which serves as both a fashion piece and an artistic canvas. The participating artists, including Robert Barry, Everett Glenn, and Sara Leghissa, bring unique perspectives that blur the lines between fashion, fine art, and pop culture.

Complementing this initiative, Gucci collaborates with Assouline to release ‘Gucci: The Art of Silk’, the first book to explore the rich history and craftsmanship of Gucci’s silk scarves. With exclusive access to the Gucci Archive, the book delves into the cultural significance of these iconic pieces, highlighting their role in shaping the House’s legacy.

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Supercontinent “fashion”: Numéro Berlin in conversation with Emanuele Coccia https://www.numeroberlin.de/2025/04/supercontinent-fashion-numero-berlin-in-conversation-with-emanuele-coccia/ Fri, 04 Apr 2025 14:44:46 +0000 https://www.numeroberlin.de/?p=58709

Sometimes, says Italian philosopher and author Emanuele Coccia, we forget that for a long time, garments were made out of animal skin. For centuries, fashion meant putting oneself under the skin of another life form. If debated correctly, could fashion become an instrument to shape our future, reinventing our relationship with each other, nature, and freedom, serving as a global, planetary language?

As part of the International Talent Support initiative ITS contest, philosopher Emanuele Coccia and fashion curator and expert Olivier Saillard have curated a second exhibition titled ‘Fashionlands – Clothes Beyond Borders’, which is now open in Trieste for the next 10 months. The show explores the changing boundaries of fashion and its role in contemporary society, as well as the power of experimental creations in comparison to the symbolic value of everyday clothing. Questioning the concept of dressing and creative freedom, the duo selected works by 23 designers from the permanent collection of ITS Arcademy, supported by beautiful still life photographs from Gabriele Rosati, capturing the functional and timeless nature of clothes that can transcend the idea of classes and luxury. A public choice award will reward the designer receiving the most votes from visitors throughout the 10 months – the winner will receive a €5,000 prize in January 2026.

The ITS Contest, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022 and has significantly contributed to the careers of contemporary creative directors and designers such as Matthieu Blazy, Demna Gvasalia, and Richard Quinn, is an integral part of a unique ecosystem, complemented by ITS Arcademy – Museum of Art in Fashion, the first and only contemporary fashion museum in Italy. For this year’s contest, Barbara Franchin, President of Fondazione ITS and founder of ITS Contest, in collaboration with an international jury, has selected 10 young finalists from China, the UK, Belgium, Germany, and France, all of whom showed a new, liberating, and refreshing perspective on fashion. “Offering all designers the opportunity to grow together is a new answer to the global and ethical challenges of our time. Focusing on collaboration instead of competition was the most responsible choice to enhance the potential of this new generation of designers,” says Franchin. “The main challenge for designers and fashion is to be able to value things and nurture the idea of material values,” says Serge Carreira, Director of the Emerging Brands Initiative at the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode and a member of the ITS contest jury, in a conversation with Numéro Berlin. “What is interesting is that most of the projects selected this year also focused on innovation in the creative process as well as in the making process and craftsmanship. Luxury is a matter of excellence, not price.”

Numéro Berlin spoke to philosopher Emanuele Coccia about why the industry’s issue is, above all, a lack of proper debates. This week, his and Alessandro Michele’s new book “Das Leben der Formen” will launch in Germany. Before traveling to Munich, we caught up with him at the ITS Arcademy during the inauguration days of the ITS contest.

Sina Braetz: I just had a wonderful tour of your new exhibition. It’s very, very beautiful. Where did this all start?

Emanuele Coccia: It’s the second exhibition Olivier and I are doing. In this case, the theme was extremely clear. The overall intention was to produce a sort of new cartography of fashion to explore, on one side, how fashion invented and created a new language that is globally and planetary relevant. Unlike many other artistic artifacts, fashion produces objects that are perfectly readable and understandable from Beijing to Los Angeles, from Dakar to Sydney, from Paris to Buenos Aires. Of course, the process of becoming planetary has gone through violent and problematic phases, but it’s clear now that this is not something accessory to fashion because, in a way, fashion is the exercise of adding something new to your body or mixing your anatomical identity with something completely exterior. Some pieces are recognized as more intimate than your own body. It’s always this exercise of trespassing the border of your skin, and because of that, no other border becomes relevant.

Sina Braetz: I just had a wonderful tour of your new exhibition. It’s very, very beautiful. Where did this all start?

Emanuele Coccia: It’s the second exhibition Olivier and I are doing. In this case, the theme was extremely clear. The overall intention was to produce a sort of new cartography of fashion to explore, on one side, how fashion invented and created a new language that is globally and planetary relevant. Unlike many other artistic artifacts, fashion produces objects that are perfectly readable and understandable from Beijing to Los Angeles, from Dakar to Sydney, from Paris to Buenos Aires. Of course, the process of becoming planetary has gone through violent and problematic phases, but it’s clear now that this is not something accessory to fashion because, in a way, fashion is the exercise of adding something new to your body or mixing your anatomical identity with something completely exterior. Some pieces are recognized as more intimate than your own body. It’s always this exercise of trespassing the border of your skin, and because of that, no other border becomes relevant.

How did you work on the curation process of the designs?

What was interesting for us was to show how a kind of artificial universality is produced because, in a way, unlike other representations, universality in fashion is always produced by sewing elements together or by composing different memories, traditions, and nationalities. With our selection, we wanted to show garments that embody or unify different memories, traditions, genders, and silhouettes. That was the criterion for the choice of objects. It was extremely important for us to stress that, for fashion, every identity is a mixture or hybrid of different identities. There is no pure identity.

You are also showcasing a beautiful still life series shot by Gabriele Rosati…

Yes, this was the second element. We wanted a young photographer who excels in still lifes of garments without human beings. The point was to grasp those basic forms that fashion has invented, like jeans, t-shirts, gloves, trench coats, etc., which are also universal in the sense that they are used by both the wealthy and non-wealthy, by every gender, and by every designer. In a way, they are forms available to everybody, but they are already meaningful or significant. The trench coat expresses a sort of urban mystery but can also signify much more. Items such as trench coats are basic elements of the universal language of fashion, and Gabriele was extremely talented in understanding this idea. He managed to express the almost Platonic essence of each garment. The choice of black and white emphasized this idea, depicting the garments as something anonymous. We see these forms every day, but they are becoming almost invisible; Gabriele made these forms in their strangeness visible again.

In your book ‘Fashionlands – Clothes Beyond Borders,’ you also discuss the relationship between fashion and time. Fashion is the only art that actually uses time to create space. Can you explain this?

First of all, in a way, fashion is the only medium capable of crossing the limits of time. You cannot paint like we did in the 20s; it would be considered kitsch if you tried. In fashion, you can genuinely take past events and reinterpret them, liberating the past from its original context. You give these forms a new power to disrupt the present. It’s very strange since the chemical treatment of time allows us—through fashion—to escape from our life, both from the past and present.

Is it a liberation…?

Yes. There are many good examples; for instance, when Yves Saint Laurent in the 70s started using forms and styles from the 40s, it wasn’t an assertion that we should return to the 40s; rather, during the 40s, women were particularly powerful—men were off to war, so women were in control of the city. His idea was to use these forms to embody empowerment for women. The treatment of time and this characteristic of being borderless—not just in spatial terms but also in temporal dimensions—gives fashion incredible power. No other art form has this capacity. Of course, paintings, sculptures, and architecture are all practices that offer us freedom, but fashion grants us freedom every single day, in a public form, for every single body, because everyone is meant to be dressed.

The relationship between fashion and nature, as well as fashion and the psyche, were also topics reflected in your curation. What do you think is fashion’s greatest potential for the future? Could it help re-establish a connection between humans and nature?

Sometimes we forget that for a long time, garments were made from animal skin; thus, having a garment meant, for centuries, putting oneself under the skin of another life form. From this perspective, there are potentials that could allow fashion to reinvent our relationship with nature. Even among this year’s finalists, there are at least three projects truly focusing on this aspect. I believe it’s an issue that more and more young designers are considering in their work. I think that because of fashion’s universality—being an inescapable art, everyone must pass through it—fashion holds a vast potential for renewing our relationship with other life forms and allowing us to understand what it means to be under the skin of another.

Yes, adding to this: It is a powerful form and tool to unify people because it represents one of the strongest democracies. You discuss this as well.

This is actually something fashion radically engaged with in the 50s and 60s: when haute couture brands decided to open ready-to-wear lines, it marked the final divorce from the notion of fashion as an instrument of distinction, a class, or proof of economic and social superiority. There is a stylistic line that transcends all classes, so what fashion must do is not distinguish classes but capture the spirit of the time. That was the main idea and what granted fashion its enormous democratic potential. However, unfortunately, in the last decade—let’s say the past 20 years—a lot of companies have tried to revert to the idea of fashion as luxury, which is exactly the opposite, limiting access to very few people. This is an extremely conservative and reactionary idea. Luxury is not fashion. Fashion can, of course, embrace and include luxury, but luxury is not necessarily fashion. What those groups are doing together is extremely dangerous because it’s not just about economic politics; it’s an attempt to kill the spirit of what fashion is.

So how would you intervene and promote the right values?

Let’s start with this institute here. It is so important because it does not follow the same model as other competitions like ANDAM, LVMH, or even HYRÈS, which tend to select candidates who share the same core profile as those at the helm of big companies. Here—you saw the candidates this year—you can find much more diversity. Some candidates do not produce with the intention of entering the industry. They create passionately and in a very diverse manner. This is also happening on different scales in different countries, in the sense that many students coming from fashion schools do not want to work in these large industries. They are trying to invent new commercial networks where, for instance, their creations are sold in art galleries, rather than in this huge retail system. So, that is one aspect. Another is that perhaps we should discuss new generations more—magazines shouldn’t solely focus on big names, but on the fashion produced by every single human being. We should really extend the discourse around fashion.

Would you see this as an educational deficit?

Yes, we finally need to integrate fashion into education at schools. Fashion is the only art that is not significantly taught at schools or universities, unless specified. Every person studying human and social sciences is expected to know a bit about the history of painting, sculpture, and architecture, but society tolerates ignorance regarding the history of fashion. This is also a fault of the big brands because, in a way, they are responsible for the lack of discourse surrounding fashion. They do not produce interesting discursive elements such as art galleries or books; they do not encourage people to write essays on their products. In essence, fashion companies are never interested in discourse; they assume that consumers who buy fashion are entirely illiterate. Just to give you an example, the fact that Miuccia Prada opened the foundation in Milan and showcased everything but never garments evidences their belief that fashion is simply business and not art. Otherwise, they would have displayed some of it.

It might not apply to the Prada universe, but in general, is it not easier to keep people in an ignorant state to sell products?

Of course. If you promote and push certain values, then everyone will resist attempts to identify fashion with luxury. This ignorance also impedes people from appropriating fashion. That’s why it is also their responsibility. It is a crime that Chanel or other big companies like Balenciaga do not open their archives. Coco Chanel, it is evident, advanced humanity; she liberated many women. How can it be that the owners of this heritage hide it in the suburbs of Paris, believing they cannot show it for fear of being copied? It is such a ridiculous and irresponsible attitude from a cultural standpoint. These companies should finally recognize that they have cultural responsibilities to the global population, not just to the cities where they are based.

Do you think this also links back to the problem that all these big brands have been kept alive for so long and start to lose their original power so drastically with all the changes in creative directors?

Yes, it is a very strange strategy, even from a commercial viewpoint. It’s clear that no one will ever possess the force and genius to create like Alexander McQueen. It would have been far better to take that money and invest it in some young designers rather than trying to produce a cult around a deceased person, which is purely necrophilia. It’s not just about countries; it’s also a major mistake from an economic perspective. Some of our past great designers were so significant—they contributed immensely to the globalization of fashion and initially had very strong successors, like Galliano, for example. But then, at a certain point, they became extremely reactionary. They are genuinely trying to kill fashion at the moment.

Do you feel we are all just lost?

We’re completely lost, and the system will likely break down. You can welcome a designer but don’t expect them to dream the dreams of someone else. There are many new designers from China who do not encounter these cumbersome problems and focus more on genuinely innovative design. Those groups should operate more like art galleries.

We thought the reset would come after the pandemic…but nothing changed. What needs to happen for it to finally arrive?

Well, they could do that very quickly if they wanted.

Do you believe that artificial intelligence can contribute to a liberation?

Yes, but artificial intelligence is not an automatic instrument. When everyone uses artificial intelligence, the results become homogenized. It is a tool that cannot replace creativity, invention, and imagination. It allows us to go faster and create more, but we will always need people behind those instruments—in the same way that computers did not eliminate the need for someone to operate them to choose, decide what to do, or design what to wear. This is something special to fashion; we truly need to like the pieces we wear. One must, in any case, reinvent styles and reclaim one’s own freedom.

You mentioned the lack of discourse in fashion. Are you planning to have more panel talks or workshops to promote these conversations, especially among the younger generation and the new industry?

I would actually like to enter the industry to change the landscape a bit. It’s not easy, but there is significant resistance to culture in general. I’m working with the Fondation Cartier in Paris, trying to develop spaces where fashion can be discussed. It’s absurd that there’s no venue in either Paris or New York where fashion could be debated.

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IN CONVERSATION WITH REESE COOPER https://www.numeroberlin.de/2025/04/in-conversation-with-reese-cooper/ Fri, 04 Apr 2025 07:37:22 +0000 https://www.numeroberlin.de/?p=58764

UGG® has teamed up with Los Angeles-based designer and multidisciplinary artist Reese Cooper for a collaboration that reimagines the UGG® Classic Mini and Classic Ultra Mini. Designed for multi-terrain use, these boots combine urban style with outdoor functionality, crafted from durable materials like CORDURA® and GORE-TEX for ultimate protection and versatility.

“We shot it by my grandparents’ home. The shoe to me needs to work in a muddy, waterfront town like theirs, however also hold up in a city environment.”
What initially sparked the idea for this collaboration with UGG?

Reese Cooper: The simple answer is my girlfriend got me a pair for Christmas a few years ago and within a week I had gotten them pretty dirty. I wanted to create a pair a little more durable / able to stand up to the elements!

How do you choose and select materials like CORDURA® and GORE-TEX for this collaboration?

R: I am a fan of both companies and greatly value any opportunity to work with their technologies. I think it’s a really fun juxtaposition to use materials like this on a footwear silhouette normally associated with very casual comfort.

What were the key factors you considered in your design process?

R: The intention was to keep it as close to the iconic design and silhouette of the classic UGG as possible, while changing the way we look at it. “Can you still tell it’s an UGG at first glance?” While keeping that in mind, pushing material development as far as we could.

How did you decide on the color palette?

R: We actually have quite a lot of synergy between the two brands when it came to palette. While at first it felt very classic UGG or classic RCI, it really can be said about both. The one that feels more “me” is the signal orange pair, however they were the ones who pushed us to produce it for commercial use instead of just friends and family!

Were there any unexpected challenges or breakthroughs in reworking such an iconic silhouette?

R: In any development process there are things that go wrong or come out unexpected, the trick is to look at them with an open mind. They often turn out cooler than your original idea!

The campaign was shot in Northern Georgia – why was this location chosen, and how does it reflect the essence of the collection?

R: We shot it by my grandparents’ home. The shoe to me needs to work in a muddy, waterfront town like theirs, however also hold up in a city environment. We’ve tested them in Los Angeles, was a good way to test the other end of the spectrum!

How do you envision people styling these boots in both urban and outdoor environments?

R: Hopefully however they want. I think they’re pretty versatile & I’m excited to see how people interpret them once they’re out in the world.


You’ve built an impressive career at a young age. Looking back, what advice would you give to young designers looking to enter the industry?

R: Learn as many different aspects as possible. Design, web coding, studio photography etc. Have a decent understanding of all of these things and you become less reliant on external factors. Feels good to be in control when you’re able to. And cheaper!

What’s next for Reese Cooper? Can we expect more outdoor-focused footwear designs in the future?
R: Yes! We have just released my third mainline REESE COOPER® footwear silhouette, the Gabriel Sneaker in March. It is a low top hiker built for wear both on and off trail. Footwear is a very exciting category for me that I am thankful to be able to participate in.
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IN CONVERSATION WITH CHRISTOPHE GOINEAU https://www.numeroberlin.de/2024/06/in-conversation-with-christophe-goineau/ Mon, 17 Jun 2024 14:05:25 +0000 https://www.numeroberlin.de/?p=48262 Once upon a time, in Cannes – and no, this is no fairy tale – there was this beautiful store of maison Hermès, right next to the Casino.

Men without ties were refused access, so sometimes, Bobby Breward, director of Hermès Cannes, would come and lend the customer his own tie. It was also him who suggested the former Hermès president back in the 40s introduce a tie production that would bring together the precious “Savoir Faire” of the house and its passion for colors and sophisticated design. Having mastered the art of printing on silk twill scarves, in 1954, the first Hermès tie was introduced to the market, which went through a beautiful process of fabric experimentation with the use of silk and woven silk. Over the years, the printed silks were joined by woven silks, knitwear, and even leather. In 1968, illustrator and horse rider Henri d’Origny was the first to add drawings such as horse riding and equestrians.

Beyond any doubt, the tie is a complex phenomenon in fashion and fashion history that challenges societal ideas and structures like barely any other fashion product. It has gone through so many drastic changes that today, it has become almost a new tool to express freedom and personality, something that the house of Hermès has pushed since the beginning of designing it. Now, it was about time for the French company to celebrate the exciting ride of the Hermès tie. Shortly before a celebratory dinner in Berlin, I am sitting down with Christophe Goineau, Creative Director of Men’s Silk and Men’s Universe Designs, to talk about… ties, yes. A joyful conversation about a teacher in space and horses wearing Hermès ties.

Sina Braetz: Welcome to Berlin. How are you doing?

Christophe Goineau: Thank you, I am great, I just came back from Greece, I really love it there.

I was expecting the South of France, this is interesting. What do you love so much about Greece?

I always say, the gods could choose any place to settle, and it wasn’t Paris. Maybe there is a reason for it.

Ha! Paris has been your home for so long now. You started at Hermès when you were only 21 years. That is incredible.

Yes, I would not have imagined staying that long, but well, here I am, and it isn’t too bad (laughs). Even if I wanted, I would not have found any other company that could have given me all these opportunities, powerful freedom of creation, and such a high-level product. So, I’m the lucky one, I really found something that I like, Hermès is one of the most beautiful companies. Still, today, I’m very happy.

You were trained in-house. Do you have a background in design?

No, absolutely not. I was attending a business school before I started at Hermès, which was already a big international company back then in 1987, but obviously not as big as today; it counted about 1200 employees. Very quickly, I realized that the huge difference between Hermès and other brands was the product and the quality. I met so many passionate people who could talk about products for ages, and that is for a reason. I joined the silk department very soon; it was so small back then because we were selling mostly ties and very few items. At that time, Jean-Louis Dumas, our former CEO, was also in charge of the art direction, today, it is actually his son who took over. Dumas and I had a lot of meetings, and he liked the suggestions and ideas I was proposing, so our work relationship was very organic.

You have been working with silk for Hermès for the past 35 years, what makes it so special to work with this silk?

The possibilities to work with silk are endless in a way, you can experiment with its design, color, and shape in so many ways. If I had the chance, to work with it for the next 100 years, I would do that.

Silk, first, is quite a unique fabric, and it took me some time to learn about it. As you might know, it is naturally cold, but it immediately becomes warm when you put it on your skin. Also, it is hypoallergenic. So nobody, I mean, almost nobody, is reacting to silk. Then, one more very special thing is that it captures color like nothing else since its thread is transparent and very long. It is magic. We will probably find something in the future that is going to be equally beautiful, but for now, there really is a pure, appreciative connection to silk.

How color-sensitive is silk?

Silk is light sensitive, so if you leave it in the sun for too long, it will start to fade. But at Hermès, we work with a color that is quite robust and stays, it really goes inside the threads. I think it is actually one of the best jobs at Hermès, the coloration. We have trained people whose job is to create colors. If I were to change positions, I would do that. They create about 20 variations of one color to select the right one with the designer. It’s really incredible. Hermès is a house of colors. To create the different color variants, the artisans at Hermès refer to the house’s repertoire of nearly 75,000 silk samples and shades.

“We will probably find something in the future that is going to be equally beautiful, but for now, there really is a pure, appreciative connection to silk”
Is orange your best-selling color?

Yes. We sell it a lot, but since orange is a very intense Hermès color, people also love to go rather for a beautiful Hermès red. I think we are selling colors like no other brand, we really hold a big love for colors. For me talking about design, it is always about sharing joy and giving people a reason to be happy, colors play a big role for that.

Would you say that a certain color sensibility is a talent?

Yes, it is the same as the gift of having a high sensitivity to listen to music. Some can really recognize the smallest changes. Véronique Nichanian, Artistic Director of Men’s Universe, is so good at choosing colors, she’s the master of coloration as well because for the ready to wear, she works so precisely with colors and color combinations. Sometimes it feels crazy when we think about how much time we spent on small details that probably no one will see.

But they will always feel it…

Yes, I think sometimes they don’t know why there is a difference but once they start wearing it, they will feel the details even if they could not express it and this is the reward for us investing so much time into this.

A really good but simple example of the color geniuses you are, for me, are your lipsticks – every woman can understand the gigantic difference that makes the perfect red.

Yes, it makes so much sense, it all goes back to a long time of working with colors and developing profound knowledge.

How sustainable is the process of coloring silk nowadays?

The model and values of craftsmanship that have always guided the house of Hermès encourage the careful and respectful use of raw materials.

Water is a fundamental and precious element in textile finishing, whether for the washing, dyeing or colour preparation process. We constantly innovate to optimize our use of water.

In its history, Hermès created some really special, extravagant tie designs, like the one for the Queen’s visit to France for example. Was there any particular special design that was the most iconic for you?

Yes, we once created a tie for a US teacher who was preparing to give his first class from a spaceship in outer space. He was always wearing ties when teaching on earth, and said he could not teach without a tie. So we designed a special piece made from one of our scarves and named it “Dream of Space.” We worked on this design together with NASA in order to follow their safety rules, such as the non-flammability of the fabric, etc., so we obviously could not use any silk or cashmere.

Also, I remember we created a tie for a steeplechase horse race in France. The Hermès team that was responsible for the decoration requested a tie for a horse, and that is what we did. We have really designed a few crazy things.

How does Hermès manage to protect its universe so well?

The first thing, I would say, is that there are two rules at Hermès: there is freedom of creativity, allowing me the ability to make creative decisions without boundaries. Of course, we discuss options with Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Artistic Director of Hermès, and Véronique Nichanian, Artistic Director of Men’s Universe, but we appreciate the fact that there is never only one way to go. The second rule is that all buyers are completely free to buy whatever they like. I think this supports a very healthy balance to keep a quite high standard of creativity, and every single shop can select what they are thinking is the best fit for them.

Another important element is that we are makers and not only retailers, and I think that’s a big difference if you compare it to some of our competitors: For example, if we work on a scarf, we start from one side, on which you have a thread of silk that we are weaving, we continue with the flat screen to then do the print, colors, and confection – we really process all the steps ourselves to make sure the product is done correctly. We are trying to put so many details in every single step – there are always shortcuts to get things done, but we trust our process. So, when I started at Hermès, I didn’t quite understand why everyone constantly spoke about quality since, for me, the company already had the best quality possible. But then, with time, I understood, quality is a daily task, you have to work every day to protect and ensure the best quality.

“There are two rules at Hermès: there is freedom of creativity, allowing me the ability to make creative decisions without boundaries”
How do you keep your know-how up-to-date?

We manage every single step in-house, in Lyon, which is exceptional. Other brands outsource certain parts of production. At Hermès, we weave the silk, make the frame for the engraver that will define the coloration, print the silk, and make the final piece, whether it’s a scarf or tie. And every single step along the way has to be special, adding detail, upon detail, upon detail.

As we are always searching for the best quality and know-how, some of our cashmere products are made in Scotland or Nepal and knitwear in Germany or Italy. A few months ago, someone was asking me what exactly my job was, and I think it is so much about working with emotions. A gift, for example, is supposed to be an extension to express how deep your love is for someone. When someone opens the orange box, it really is a special moment that we share with our customer. This makes the relationship between Hermès and its customers very strong, but they will also have a very strong relationship with the product because they will remember the special occasion of the gift forever.

What was the most special Hermès item that you have gifted to someone?

A 140 centimeter scarf that I gifted to a friend a few years ago. He is a biker, so we designed a scarf with a bike, a very futuristic thing. When I gifted it to him, he was skeptical, saying he would not wear any scarves, but then he saw it and was so happy, also knowing that this has been specifically made for him.

 

“A gift, for example, is supposed to be an extension to express how deep your love is for someone. When someone opens the orange box, it really is a special moment that we share with our customer”
Do you see differences between countries?

I think it is a quite general trend, how ties are being worn nowadays. The differences lie more in the choice of colors and design. For example, I would say that the US would rather go for bright colors, like bright red, that you will not find in Asia. In Europe, men go for more dark colors. One other trend though, we observed is that the US market strongly goes back to formal. During Covid, the sales of ties went down but recovered super quickly right after the pandemic.

What is the new role of the tie, and how would you say do men buy and wear it?

In general, men are selecting more carefully because they want the tie to speak about them and their personality. It has to be connected to their soul and their character.

When I started joining the company, in the late 80s, the motivation behind buying a Hermès tie was to be part of something, more like an obligation. This has completely changed. Nowadays, you don’t have to wear ties anymore, you only do it if you feel liking doing it. The obligation has turned into a pleasure.

Where does the design process start for you? Do you work with certain patterns?

It depends on the product. For ties, we have mainly internal designers; in this case, it is Philippe Mouquet. He is working for the company for more than 30 years as well, mostly on the designs that I then select. We have a place called the fridge (laughs) in which we try to find the ingredients to make the best collection possible. For scarves, it is completely different. The first option is that I find an interesting designer, illustrator, or artist to suggest a collaboration. The second option would be the other way around: I am being sent a lot of portfolios, and I am trying to answer each and every one, because you really never know. Creation is sometimes like little flowers, you have to be careful because we can easily step on them. So, I am taking my time to consider all of them. And then there is the third way, which I love especially, it is a very Hermès way: doing things by chance, meaning you discover a new talent thanks to recommendations, or you coincidentally run into someone. This is so interesting, as it opens the door to your own creative processes through spontaneous influences.

How do you inform your understanding of what is contemporary / not?

I generally like to stick to a process in which I first talk with the men working in big cities to do something which is very contemporary as there is always a trend, but it is not easy to look at it when you are inside. When I go through Hermès archives from the 50s, 60s or 70s, I can feel that they were always en vogue, always on the trend of silhouettes, design and colors etc. It is important to understand what is going on these days.

How do you select the collaborators? What are your criteria?

Sometimes, when I reach out to collaborators whose work is really different from Hermès, they are very surprised. In fact, I think this is the interesting part about making a selection – which ultimately takes Hermès somewhere people are not expecting. Of course, the Hermès universe has a certain style, but within this universe, there is a lot of space to experiment. I try to find a good balance, I feel Hermès is a house of balance, between all our ingredients. I think this idea of balance is connected to the fact that we are not making a product for one season, nor do we dictate to our customers what to buy by going with certain trends only. Our work is like writing a book or a TV series: if you like the first season, you want to see the second season, but if the first season is too close to the second season, you get bored. But if you don’t recognize in the second season what you liked about the first one, you are lost. This is what makes our job so interesting, you always try to be in this sort of evolution rather than revolution.

Did you ever think about designing specifically a women’s tie?

Not really. Tie is a versatile object, close to the customer and brings out a lot of emotions and not depending on if you are a women or a men. A lot of women are buying men’s clothes and accessories.

So you don’t see a genderless design approach works for Hermès?

Well, we have two different visions but in between, anything is possible. A lot of women actually are buying menswear and a lot of men are buying womenswear, such as scarves etc. Our customer has an autonomous choice and options to choose from, without us creating or suggesting something that we think is genderless. I don’t know if this will still be working in like 20 years but, so far it does.

From a design perspective, what are interesting new innovations and approaches of working with silk in particular?

A few years ago, we launched the double face silk, which is quite innovative. Currently, I’m working on adding natural, organic fabrics and fibers that are helpful for the way people are living now, meaning, for example, a scarf that does not crease, products that you can easily put into your washing machine, and so on. It won’t be specifically natural fabrics only; rather, it  might be about new ways of mixing fabrics in order to achieve our goals. Another topic that will become interesting is 3D printing, the new possibilities of screen printing, and how to improve it.

Thank you so much for your time. It was great talking to you.

 

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SILENT REFLECTION https://www.numeroberlin.de/2024/04/silent-reflection/ Tue, 30 Apr 2024 10:23:35 +0000 https://www.numeroberlin.de/?p=46054
Photography Jean Francois Verganti Art Director x Styling Madame Dalmatien Model Anna Mehrhardt Hair Alexandre Gloaguen Makeup Hugo Villard Casting Yann Gabin Fashion Assistant Ava Dernell Studio Guillotine Studio All looks by Ann Demeulemeester Spring/Summer 2024
Photography Jean Francois Verganti Art Director x Styling Madame Dalmatien Model Anna Mehrhardt Hair Alexandre Gloaguen Makeup Hugo Villard Casting Yann Gabin Fashion Assistant Ava Dernell Studio Guillotine Studio All looks by Ann Demeulemeester Spring/Summer 2024
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IN CONVERSATION WITH CHARLES DE VILMORIN https://www.numeroberlin.de/2023/08/in-conversation-with-charles-de-vilmorin/ Fri, 11 Aug 2023 11:05:13 +0000 https://www.numeroberlin.de/?p=38900

Charles de Vilmorin‘s creations are theatrical and dramatic. At the age of 26 he is the creator of his eponymous haute couture label Charles de Vilmorin. The young Parisian couturier enriched the fashion world at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week with his first show. Faced with an empty stage, like a blank sheet of paper, Charles explains how he places his characters and his inspirations in order to create a formidable work of art. Talking about his pride in his collection, the couturier shares his future ambitions.

Numéro Berlin spoke to Charles de Vilmorin about his latest FW23 show, his career, his creative process and the importance of theatre in his art.
Charles, how did you want to become a fashion designer?

When I was a child, I was very inspired by the theatre world. I really wanted to play with light, music, clothes, atmosphere, and characters. As I grew up, it was spontaneous. I discovered the world of McQueen, Galliano and all these very theatrical designers. It was like an evidence, I started like that.

How would you define yourself to someone who has never heard of your creations before, and how would you describe what you do?

If I had to find some words to describe my work,

“I could say dramatic, and of course theatrical.”

Also, narrative because I love to tell stories, and poetic, I hope. Colourful, joyful, but with sometimes a little touch of darkness.

You used the word poetic. Are you inspired by a lot of writers?

Not really. We can find poetry everywhere, not only in books. Poetry is more about emotions. I’m more inspired by paintings, movies, or pictures than by books.

De Vilmorin is linked to an important cultural and historical heritage; you are the grandnephew of the French writer Louise the Vilmorin. Is that heritage a source of inspiration for you? How does this affect your creativity?

The link with Louise de Vilmorin and my immediate family is not this close. Of course, we have the same name, and she was a very inspiring, avant-garde, and feminist woman, with an immense talent and numerous amazing friends who are people I really love. It’s more a question of atmosphere because in the de Vilmorin family, there are a lot of artists and even in the different places where I spent my childhood, like my grandparents’ house, the decoration was very specific, with lots of colours and flowers, ‘Vilmorin’ is actually also the name of a flower species. I’m very lucky with my family heritage because it’s open and artistic. It’s not only Louise de Vilmorin. It’s a more global atmosphere.

You’re also the son of an art teacher, and you’re known for your colourful drawings. Is drawing still an important part of your creative process?
“Drawing is for me the beginning of everything.”

The starting point of my different projects. I love drawing and it’s essential. Because when you draw a silhouette, for example, it can be very beautiful. But the body is not a real body, it can have exactly the volume you want. The challenge is to bring my drawings to life. And that’s my daily challenge for all my projects.

On July 3, 2023, you presented your very first couture show under your own name and about this show you said, “Mon premier défilé, celui dans lequel je mets tout de moi de A à Z” (“My first fashion show, the one in which I put everything about myself from A to Z”) Which features of the collection best represent you?

The inspiration for this collection was creativity in the darkest ways. It was a question of reflection on what I want to show in my work. We have some all-white looks, black looks, and colourful looks. As a designer, for my first show, it was very hard to find the precise things I wanted to present: the “A to Z” is because I struggled to know what I wanted to show at the time. Precisely because the last two years haven’t always been easy for me in terms of showing myself and clarifying my creativity, and my inspirations. This has been the most difficult part of creativity and I wanted to talk about it. My goal for future collections is to be more precise, but for this one that wasn’t the intention. I showed different concepts that are part of my world.

Is that also why this collection is less colourful than others you’ve created?

Yes, colours are very difficult to work with because you have to find the right ones. In the past I’ve used a lot of primary colours, it’s not very difficult because it’s red and yellow, it’s quite easy to work with and it works every time. I want to play with colours, but with more precise colours and create new combinations. It’s not easy, I need to do a lot of research and testing to create new and beautiful colour combinations. For this collection, I didn’t really know what I wanted to create with the colours. So, there are fewer colours than in the other collections.

What was your favourite piece from this couture show?
“It’s not especially a piece it’s more a moment.”

The black suit of Inès de la Fressange and the last part with the Maggie Mauer white horse, because these two looks were the more difficult to make and I love them.

Was this couture show a goal for you from the start of your career?

I launched my brand in my own name during COVID. I did some videos to present my collection. Later I was at Rochas and had the opportunity to create beautiful shows with a huge production. But this show was my first for my own brand. This means the production and the team were totally different, and I made a lot of things by myself, even for the show. So, it was of course a goal, and it was very emotional for me. I can’t wait for the next one.

Theatre and staging play an important role in your creative world and process, can you tell us about how it began for your latest couture collection.

My creative process for a collection or any other project, a video for example, is always the same. I imagine an empty stage and first I put in lights, then music. Music is like drawing, it’s one of the starting points of the project because music is more than a source of inspiration for me. It helps me to create the atmosphere and the story of the project or collection. Music, lighting, and then I imagine a bit of set design to create something simple. I start with the set and imagine the silhouettes, the different characters. At the end, I put on some clothes and it’s always the same process.

“It’s like a theatre, it’s an empty stage and then you put on the different elements, and you create something.”
What theatre piece did you imagine before creating this collection?

For this collection, I wanted to tell the story of a quest, an adventure. The location of the show inspired me because it looked a bit like a ghost city, full of concrete. I wanted to create characters who would walk through the forest for a fortnight. So, I imagined all the wet looks, with the hair close to the face. It’s the story of an adventure, as if they were walking through this ghost town. The first name of the collection was ‘Les Vagabonds’. The collection has a lot of rough and frayed edges, and too long clothes that the models must lift to be able to walk. The story was about freedom and adventure, for the swan and the horse for example, which can also be found in the music, through horse noises of all kinds.

I really loved the wide structures and accessories. Where did this idea come from?

The first sculpture was the horse, and it was just a vision I had of a white dress with a big horse on its head. There’s no specific inspiration. Sometimes ideas just come, when you’re walking, and you have a vision, when your spirit shows you something. Later I had the idea of the swans.

Are your collections different acts in the same piece of theatre or are they all separate pieces?
“Each collection is different, it’s not the same story.”

Of course, there are some links. For example, you can link this collection with my first full black collection. It’s not an intention, and I think it’s natural and important to build a DNA, to have links between your collections. For this latest collection, there are three distinct acts. The first one is a white part. It’s like a blank sheet of paper, when you start to create something, and you don’t know how to start. Then you have the more coloured part with the prints. This is the craziest part of creation, when you don’t know how to stop creating. Creation with no limits. I deleted lots of looks from this part of the collection; five looks weren’t in the show in the end. The third and final act is black, more sophisticated and couture, followed by the white final look. It’s the story of a creative process.

“Starting with a white paper, trying something, and ending on the more sophisticated black part.”
You recently designed your sister’s wedding dress. Does this dress belong to the creative world of your couture show?

Not really, it’s a very different project. The dress is inspired by my sister. It’s not part of the story of the show, but I think this dress is a source of inspiration for my next show. It was so nice to make this dress. This dress is full of joy with big flowers, it’s for a wedding, so it was complicated to do something dark for her. I love this dress, and I really want to continue this story for the next project. 

I was seduced by the lightness and the importance of the movement in the creations of the collection. The movement of a garment is what embellishes it and what sublimates the model. How do you bring your creation to life through the movements, and how does the movement create sensation for you?

Movement is one of the most important things in a silhouette and in a collection, especially on a show. I love moments where I can play with movement – for example when I was doing videos with dancers, it was pleasant. Movement is important, for the emotional part of the show because it’s very close to music, but it’s first a question of fabric. In the collection there are a lot of very light little silk dresses. I love the movement of silk.

What emotions would you like to create and to transmit to those who wear your creations on the street or at your show?
“I want them to feel strong and free.”

It’s very personal, it depends on the person. This is the most important thing when you buy clothes: you want to feel strong in your body and proud of the way you look.

An important feature in your identity is to create gender-neutral collections. What are your intentions behind this choice?

It’s not really an intention because for me, it’s just very natural. In my process of creating a look, I need to put it on me and live in my apartment with the look to see how it moves, how I can use the sleeves and those volumes.

“I see all my looks on me, on a boy.”

From my point of view, we need to see men in couture looks because in real life, I’m sure there are lots of men who wear couture. I think it’s very modern to put men in couture shows. And this season we’ve seen a lot of men on the catwalk. It’s not an intention. It’s not a political gesture, it’s just something natural for me.

To what extent does your past influence your present and your future?

I’m at the beginning of my career because I launched my brand 3 years ago. We had the Rochas part for two years, and my brain was a bit in standby. I learned a lot during these three years, especially at Rochas, more specifically about the commercial part. I want to take my brand forward and create, not necessarily the ready-to-wear part, but I want to see people in the street wearing my clothes. This collection has a beautiful potential in a more commercial way. I really want to work on this part. 

You dressed your favourite actress Isabelle Huppert and Inès de la Fressange walked in your latest runway. What do you imagine for the future of your brand and the future of your creative universe?

I love to work with artists. They can be painters, singers, actors, or actresses. For my brand, I want to continue to work with different artists. I love to be surprised every day, and I don’t know what might happen. I don’t have any specific objectives; I just want to do my best with my brand and make beautiful creations.

Artists are significant to you. Is there a particular artist you’d like to work with in the future?

In a close future,

“I would love to see a beautiful picture of Lady Gaga with my horse.”
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