Simon Porte Jacquemus talks US trajectory amid New York store opening

New York and jaded are words that go together like milk and honey. French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus proved that even the most cynical in New York can still get jazzed about a new boutique opening in Soho.

At a pre-opening press breakfast followed by a ribbon cutting, the founder and designer of the brand also managed to conjure two words that go together in his world: Provence and sunshine.

FashionNetwork.com spoke to Jacquemus about the company’s stateside trajectory at the store’s inaugural event.

After posing for some photos with fans and a group of FIT students outside the shop in front of a stainless steel food cart vehicle shaped like the Rond Carré bag doling out croissants and mandarin juice, the designer walked up the ramp, with fans in the street calling out “Simon, I love you,” as he came inside to speak to with reporters.

The 34-year-old designer seems as affable as the day he began his career and founded his namesake label 15 years ago. His success still humbles him and is demonstrated by his support of young talent by inviting FIT students to the press breakfast.

“They are the new energy of New York and fashion and were excited to come and be there,” the designer said, explaining he had met them in September when the SUNY fashion school honored him with the 2024 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion.

It’s fitting as in the landscape of designer fashion brands today, Jacquemus represents the next wave of designers.

“I still follow the ambition when I started the brand at 19. It was not to have boundaries between the designer, the brand, and the audience. I wanted to be able to talk to everyone,” he said, explaining the different types attracted to Jacquemus, adding, “Everyone comes to the brand from their own background experience, whether it’s the double cute heel, the Jean Royere furniture, the colors and the inspiration behind this but everyone is invited; there is no snobbism about that. It’s a generous and big-smile brand.”

The glass front store, which sits on the Northwest corner of Spring and Wooster Streets, benefits from both southern exposure light and morning eastern sun, helping to channel the Provençal vibe the designer was going for.

“When we visited this store, it stood out. The glasswork was there, but you couldn’t see because the light was bad,” he said, motioning to the grand southern French-style curved staircase that spills over into a curved tiered display to highlight the brand’s successful bag styles.

“We rebuilt everything; the stairs were originally back here,” he pointed out. According to brand reps, the store design also features furniture, art, and objects curated by Jacquemus.

The designer admitted that while he eventually succumbed to the buzzy and luxury-driven neighborhood formally known for its artist enclaves, Soho was not on the top of his New York location list.

“To be honest, I love uptown New York, Central Park. I would love to have a store there; it’s like the countryside and my vibes,” he fantasized.

While certainly having a luxury clothing store in the middle of Central Park would be an outlier, the designer-founder is also a bit of an outlier. Most brands don’t get to this global distribution level— wholesale and direct-to-consumer—without outside investment and still own 100 percent of the company.

“I started with nothing, so I had to sell. My shows are not about just what I want to make. I don’t have a perfume line that pays for my show, so I needed to show products and sell those products. It can be frustrating as a designer; sometimes I want to be the crazy Simon I was ten years ago doing a tutu and crazy paper mask. That is not my trajectory,” he surmised, adding, “I need to open stores to sell products. It is about finding the right balance between saying something different, having ambition, and designing clothes that stand out. What we sell is not what the others have. They don’t just buy a classic item; they have no interest in that [from us.] It needs to be different.”

The New York store will offer classic styles that have made the brand successful: big straw hats, mini bags, double-heeled shoes, extra short mini-skirts, and more. It will also feature some New York-centric items—a reusable coffee cup, a baseball cap, and a specially designed sweatshirt, thanks to the designer’s admitted love of buying souvenirs when he travels.

When queried whether having one-on-one contact with his New York customer would influence his design process, he was eager to find out.

“That’s a good question. I don’t divide people by country because we all watch the same social media,” he said while pointing to the window display, “Yet there is something very almost 1980s New York with the Frank Lloyd Wright wood chair and the Provencal bag; it’s not like a brand window installation. I want this to stand out so people ask, ‘What is this?’ It’s not just about displaying the perfect silhouette like typical store windows,” he said.

“Let’s see how the product will evolve and what people will buy. I am also curious and pragmatic. I love to check the numbers, and I need to know what people are feeling or not feeling. I can’t wait to see the feedback and understand what they want or don’t want. This is an important detail beyond the buying and strategy of the offer; we are giving this energy, so let’s see what it does first,” he added. He confirmed the brand is already working on the second U.S. store opening in Los Angeles in February.

“The mission is longevity,” the designer stated. “I do know there are not a lot of people opening stores with their name on it. I was lucky; sometimes, I feel so mini in front of those luxury giants. But then I think the other way; my name is on the door; people know us, and at 15, I am a teenager brand.”

“I changed how I see things. I think about the collection shows for the next generation, for my kids [Mia and Sun], and make decisions for the long term. I’m not a magician, but I try to enjoy every moment and know I am lucky to do what I do,” he offered.

With that, the designer left to prepare for the grand opening. By this time, security guards had peacefully managed the crowd outside. It was primarily 20-somethings to early 30s-somethings who had gathered to be the first to shop the store.

FashionNetwork.com spoke to several of them, waiting to catch a glimpse. Irina Zirka, a hair artist, and her friend Lu, an illustrator, attended a conference the designer spoke at just days before.

“I appreciate his work; he is a big inspiration because I want to start my own business. I love his idea that he doesn’t go to the big fashion groups. It’s important at this time because everyone wants to get bigger, and he is true to himself,” Zirka said, noting she lived near the store and had been waiting until it opened to buy a bag.

A gaggle of au pairs were also fans in attendance. “I have one bag that I got for my birthday. I love his story; he was so young when he started and stays independent,” said a Slovenian babysitter named Tinkara.

A French caretaker named Fleur noted, “We are French, so it’s more special because we are proud.”

A French-Canadian student planned her third New York visit to catch the opening.
As the designer thanked everyone for coming and cut the ribbon, the excited crowd started to file in. It’s certain Jacquemus will have those New York customers’ desires pegged by the end of the weekend.