Clothes as faithful allies: an interview with Lemaire's co-creative directors

«We don't often do capsules, so it was also quite a challenge to see how to bring both of our identities together in a menswear capsule. We also wanted to offer something exclusive and a little different for our audience, as Mytheresa is a valuable partner for us at LEMAIRE», the two creatives told us. At the heart of the LEMAIRE x MYTHERESA capsule, there is «everything about movement, walking, running forward even», said Christophere Lemaire. «We were also inspired by Etienne-Jules Marey's chronophotographic series, punctuated by sequences of the same silhouette, evolving, layering upward or downward», added Sarah-Linh Tran.

Fourteen everyday men's wardrobe essentials - the military jacket, the fashion house's classic twisted shirt, and lambswool sweaters - are declined in a palette of subdued yet intense colors that can be easily mixed and matched for a casual yet elegant style. «Reds look sun-baked, darkened by fog. The blues look timeworn, with a casual elegance, reinforced by utilitarian cuts», Sarah-Linh told us. An autumn color palette inspired by everyday life, «about our observations, the people we see on the street, on the subway, in our office. Passersby...» the creative continued. «Then there are people we respect and admire, but I wouldn't call them muses. Other references, like Issey Miyake's East meets West, some images of David Bowie, photographs by Sam Knee...» added Christophere Lemaire. And then there is music, a source of inspiration that «resonates in our collections. We work a lot with our music supervisor, Cedric Pilooski, to make sure that music is the beating heart of our collections. We also make seasonal playlists with him, which we play in the office, in stores, and which become the soundtracks of our daily lives» Cristophe and Sarah-Linh confessed to us.

Clothes designed like a house, assuming «you live in it. We also say that our garments are meant to be your faithful allies, you can trust them. Clothes are supposed to support us in our daily activities, they are supposed to allow us to do the things we need to do. When there is the right space between us and the garment, with a subtle play of proportions, without frills and with a bit of nonchalance ... then you can get an idea of what sophistication can be for us». An ongoing research conducted by four hands, which does not stand on «a not defined process. We exchange ideas, we compare, because in our opinion, when you are a designer, you always need a sparring partner. We also exchange images, references and talk a lot with our team, then things come out organically» the two creatives told us. It all takes shape in high-quality fabrics, «with a certain tightness, but fluid enough to bring a sophisticated ease» that reflect the ambition to create timeless fields. A dedication and planning that allowed the brand to open a new concept store, dedicated to accessories in the historic Place des Vosges in Paris. «It is a very particular concept, as the store is very small, but it proposes a journey through podiums and white materials designed together with architect Francesca Torzo. The visitor can go up in a space that almost has no distinction between outside and inside, getting lost in a showcase-space where he can wander with his mind or simply be surprised», the two creatives enthusiastically announced to us. All this - the collaboration with MyTheresa, the concept store as well as the collections - «embodies our idea of everyday life , like a movie set or a train station.... We are very happy to have achieved this with our whole LEMAIRE team» they concluded.