Jacquemus' dreamy "Le Raphia" SS23 collection

So. Simon Porte Jacquemus really played with us on Instagram with that cheeky post declaring this show to be his last…of the year. Jacquemus is known for making anything his runway, from French dunes to Hawaiian beaches, to Provençal lavender fields. But on this occasion, the designer came home to unleash his dreamy “Le Raphia” Spring/Summer 2023 line in Paris, December 2022, across 54 looks. Style icons like Pamela Anderson, Skepta and Vincent Cassel made an appearance decked out in Jacquemus, alongside Central Cee, following his presence in the recent Jacquemus menswear campaign.

Look 50: The feathered cropped cami top and the matching feather-hem midaxi skirt is definitely one of the season’s showstoppers, if not, a look genuine to the concept, modelled by the gorgeous Irina Shayk. The whole outfit screams countryside chic, from the faux whale tail inspired cord -giving Y2K, to the yellow, strappy, heeled sandals.

Jacquemus made it rain straw throughout the catwalk, in honour of the star component of the show, ‘raffia’. The material that transcended through most of the garments featured; skirts, trousers, blouses, dresses, hats and bags, as fringe detailing. The designer channelled a pastoral vibe of a French countryside, specifically in the south, with this collection, to embrace the delicacy and idyllic notes of a bucolic environment. A softer colour palette was imposed, with beige and off-white tones, whites and browns, but vibrant colours like; orange, pink, red, pastel yellow, khaki and purple, were also included.

The craftmanship of this collection makes it more authentic to the theme, as Jacquemus deviates slightly from the uniform material used in the fashion industry, by using the raw fibre, raffia. Swirls were embellished onto garments, as well as intricate embroidery and tassels. Jacquemus once again explored a diverse variety of fabrics, such as; denim, mesh, linen, netting and of course raffia, to deliver conceptual textures. The collection presents a poetic embodiment of the summer- it was really giving, sunrise-seeping-through-the-blinds-while-birds-tweet. But sportswear and evening wear aesthetics were very present throughout the line, along with the Y2K aesthetic.

Look 37: The khaki, sculptural jacket is such an extravagant, statement piece. I love that it’s oversized and paired with the extremely ruffled skirt with a train, which taps into the re-established Y2K trend of the mini-skirt and oversized top/hoodie/jacket combo. Of course, the classic woven bucket bag really ties the look together, alongside the padded flipflops for sincerity to the theme.

Although the collection paid homage to Jane Birkin with the straw bags, it stayed true to the Jacquemus brand with features of signature pieces like linen garments, the polka dot print and the classic giant hats. The collection also consisted of sarong skirts, woven vests, fringed cut-out dresses, revamped silver-coated jeans with cargo detailing and exposed zips. The runway saw many Y2K moments with whale tails, micro-mini-skirts and dresses over jeans.

Look 2: The giant sunflower sun hat goes hand-in-hand with the little black corset dress. I love that the asymmetric, ruffle-sleeve doesn’t over power the hat. The mini-bag and simple black pointed-toe pumps help illustrate a contemporary silhouette. I absolutely adored this look!!

The inspiration of raffia was very much apparent, the line was so light, beautiful, fresh, fluffy and fun. By the end of the show, the runway had transformed into a straw field, creating a rustic ambience. Le Bisou – Jacquemus’ latest addition to its bag assortment- also made its premiere in the show, as a curvy, baguette shape shoulder bag, that comes in many different colours. This whole collection was a visionary experience, I loved everything about it. So elegant and heavenly! Lav it babe.

muahhhhh 💋 P xoxo