Fluid Form: Jacquemus Subverts Shape And Structure With ‘Les Sculptures’

In the South of France, a star-studded model line-up debuts the Spring/Summer 2024 collection

SAINT-PAUL-DE-VENCE, FRANCE – JANUARY 29: Gigi Hadid walks the runway during the “Les Sculptures” Jacquemus’ Fashion Show at Fondation Maeght on January 29, 2024 in Saint-Paul-De-Vence, France. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

One thing we can always anticipate from a Jacquemus show is a stellar location, usually one that is close to creative director Simon Porte Jacquemus’ inspirations. For his latest season, titled ‘Les Sculptures’, it was La Foundation Maeght, an art gallery overlooking Saint-Paul de Vence in the south of France, which houses a collection of sculptures by Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti.

Opening the show was Gigi Hadid clad in a buttery leather coat with curved cocoon sleeves and a gaping scoop neckline that we never see on outerwear. This silhouette would reappear in various formats throughout, infusing an ’80s, Working Girl-like element to the collection, along with pencil skirts, power shoulders, leopard print, pointed pumps, boxy accessories and side-swept bombshell hair.

Skin was less prevalent than we’re used to from Jacquemeus, but what he held back on with his signature cut-outs, he made up for with intriguing crops and slinky silhouettes—a sign the designer is continuing to mature his aesthetic but not giving up the sex appeal anytime soon. And anything that wasn’t lightly clinging to the skin was soft structured. On the more experimental side, curved appendages sat like crowns atop waistbands, and the closing bridal look featured a dramatic square bodice.

Bathed in warm sunshine and shrowded in lush landscaping, elements of the show’s setting found their way into the collection. Whether it was the prismatic tiles that were emulated on a black sweater or the fluid forms and prominent shoulders of Giacometti’s sculptures that seemed to inspire some bodycon looks, the locale was symbiotic to the clothes.

Once again, Jacquemus succeeded in balancing the demands of his ardent commercial fans while proving himself to be a designer of intellect and creative passion. What he ultimately delivered was a high-impact, season-less collection that was conceptually rich but didn’t take itself too seriously—much like the designer himself.