“Le Raphia” re-establishes the codes of the house, evoking the sensations of summer and the return of a handcrafted spirit.

The Jacquemus Spring/Summer 2023 fashion show was held at Le Bourget in France. Entitled “Le Raphia,” the show presented a series of delicate designs for men and women, embodied by the theme of natural raffia fibres.

“This is my last show,” Simon Porte Jacquemus announced solemnly on his Instagram Stories yesterday-cue a severe intake of industry and influencer breath. Then, he swiftly added: “of the year.” to prank its followers. “We wanted to have a bit of fun with our brand,” he declared.

Set in the middle of a commune in the suburbs of Paris, Jacqeumus’ Spring Summer 2023 collection marked an overt evocation of summer and impressions of southern escapades. Suspending a zeitgeist of wall-to-wall sensuality, “Le Raphia” channelled summer sensations with a return to an artisanal spirit. Like Jacquemus’ previous debuts, the backdrop elicited a trompe l’oeil simplicity fused with a natural poeticism, producing a free-spirited wardrobe highlighted by its embrace of contemporary craftsmanship.

“It’s the end of summer. All these colours, all the dreams I saw, that I had, are leaving. The smell, the beauty, Raphia’s rain sweeps everything as in a dream… Will I see again those big hats, those flower buckles, those prints? I think so”, say the notes of the Simon Porte Jacquemus fashion show.

With flowing silhouettes and poetic oversized chapeaux, the collection wrapped up the core of Jacquemus’ house codes. The audience watched as the designer’s standout obsession re-emerged and developed into multiple themes, each as a trio of masculine and feminine looks that conveyed a sensual contrast of drama and naturalness.

Inspired by “the girls you imagine in Portofino and Capri, going with their hats, earrings and polka-dot pants,” the clothes were an extension of the brand’s well-established design signatures.  High resort wear in soft linen, tailoring with sexy cutouts, sheer shrunken cardigans and flirty beachside prints on artfully wrapped dresses and flirty miniskirts. There were also sleek-printed capri pants worn with open blazers that knotted delicately at the bust. Coats were oversized and deconstructed, while Margiela-style and oversized woven motifs appeared in cute vests and short ensembles.

Jacquemus has always been a master of accessories, and this season, we saw the revival of his iconic oversized sun hat silhouette. This time larger than ever and paired with oversized sunflower earrings and ridiculously large fluffy top-handle totes.

The 54-piece collection featured a range of pieces made from straw-like raffia fibres, woven buttons, fitted blazers, and gorpcore vests.

Jacquemus switched up its infamous Le Chiquito with fuzzy maxi totes and raffia handbags. It was also the debut of Le Bisou, a slim, curvy bag proposed in a variety of colour palettes, including bright, softened hues, and more.

The sub-zero temperatures outside of Paris didn’t stop celebrities from making their style statements at the Jacquemus fashion show, including Christine Quinn, Valentina Ferragni, Tina Kunakey, C. Tangana with girlfriend Rocio Aguirre and Blackpink singer Jennie. The most unexpected addition was a resplendent Pamela Anderson in a figure-fitting white dress, see-through gloves and a spectacular oversized sun hat. She had shades of Marilyn Manroe in all the right ways, and was the perfect reminder of how fabulous Jacquemus continues to be.