Gustaf Lundberg Toresson Contributor
With aspirations to hit €500 million in sales by 2025, Jacquemus has over the last few years shifted its focus from wholesale to direct-to-consumer, new retail stores and expanding to cosmetics, perfume, and home goods. Regarding the rumors of joining Givenchy, Jacquemus recently affirmed his commitment to the eponymous brand: “I have a big house to take care of, and I want to make it better and better, not necessarily bigger. I’m 34, and I know what I want. I will not compromise.”
In 2011, Simon Porte Jacquemus, then a 21-year-old fashion school dropout, made headlines with a guerrilla marketing stunt at Vogue’s “Fashion Night Out” party on Paris’ Avenue Montaigne. He and his friends, donning his designs, staged a mock protest, grabbing attention with their playful and bold approach. This stunt propelled Jacquemus into the public eye, making him a household name in French fashion.
Since then, the rise has been nothing short of meteoric. Starting with self-funded collections presented on Parisian sidewalks, the brand has become a global phenomenon. Jacquemus’ playful and often humorous designs – the mini Le Chiquito bag, the oversized blazers – have captured the imagination of celebrities and fashion enthusiasts alike. His runway shows are more performance art than fashion presentations, staged in unexpected locations and documented on a meticulously curated Instagram account with millions of followers. This digital-first approach has made Jacquemus a darling of the social media age.
Fast forward to 2024, Jacquemus recently inaugurated boutique on Avenue Montaigne is a 3,200-square-foot store, nestled between Gucci and Jil Sander, hosting a mix of accessible items and high-end pieces. The boutique started as a six-month experiment to test physical retail, marking a significant milestone for the brand that had previously relied solely on wholesale and online sales.
Still independently owned by its founder, Jacquemus sales reached €280 million in 2023, up from €200m, in 2022 and €100m in 2021, according to estimates by Yann Kretz, a principal at consulting firm Laurent Berger. With new CEO Bastien Daguzan at the helm, the company is said to aim to grow sales to €500 million by 2025.
Jacquemus’ success stems from his unique vision, blending the sunny lifestyle of the South of France with a modern twist. His designs evoke nostalgia for a simpler, glamorous France, resonating deeply with both domestic and international audiences. His early collections, characterized by a childlike aesthetic, caught the eye of trendsetting retailers and industry icons like Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons.
The ability to communicate through social media has been pivotal. Jacquemus Instagram presence, characterized by simplified, emotionally charged fashion messages, has attracted over 5 million followers. While Jacquemus’ personal storytelling, sharing intimate aspects of his life, has forged a strong connection with his audience.
Known of using ‘larger than life’ objects and CGI interrupt patterns in social media feeds, Jacquemus has paved new ways to promote their collections and storefronts. Recently, at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the creative team saw a perfect opportunity to center around a cultural phenomenon happening in their hometown Paris.
Alluding to olympic sports, each character in the skit was dressed head to toe in Jacqumus clothing, promoting their new “La Casa” collection. Its this idea of taking ordinary objects and “pattern interrupting” that turns it into extraordinary marketing.
