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MARK THOMAS / CARVEN - "The Tension Between Uniform and Intimacy"

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Artistic Director of Carven since 2023, Mark Thomas favours a tailoring approach shaped by his experience. “It’s the second chapter for the brand, having started with the Spring Summer 2026 show collection. I am leaning towards something more sensual which contrasts well with the toughness of the tailoring. It essentially carries the spirit of the Parisian woman,” he explains.
Pragmatic in outlook, he ensures that the Winter 2026 collection continues the narrative of the pre-collection. “It explores the tension between uniform and intimacy, drawing from the codes of the Parisian dress that moves between structure and seduction. The brand inspires me with its 1950s couture tailoring, specifically the Esperanto jacket, which I have taken inspiration from in every collection I have created for Carven. »
His priority? “It’s important for me to always focus on the Carven women with a sense of purpose, a sophistication and confidence. It’s about making the woman feel great, powerful and sensual. The collection is designed to fit in for women’s life; she wears the clothes the clothes don’t wear her.”

His experience at Givenchy, as well as at brands connected to men’s ready-to-wear such as Lacoste, Joseph, and Helmut Lang, does not contradict what he seeks to champion at the house. “My training is classically menswear, with a focus on precisely tailored garments, details and fabrics. At Joseph, I was surrounded by a strong team of women who gave me firsthand insight on how a collection is built. Each experience is a very different learning path with different of skills. I think for me the priority is creating collections that speaks to the brand and resonate with the customer.” 

The commercial reality remains central to his priorities. “For Spring Summer 2026, Carven  collaborated with Antonia Milano on the opening of an exclusive pop-up on beginning February 24th at Antonia’s prestigious Via Sant’Andrea address. The space will welcome the public for a two-week engagement, offering an immersive encounter with the Maison’s latest expressions. On this occasion, Carven invited artist Juliette Teste, whose intuitive exploration of form enters dialogue with the House’s aesthetic codes. Her sculptural vessels resonate with the foundational Esperanto line – a rigorous study of proportion conceived around the female form – extending its language into the realm of art and object. »

As for Thomas’s greatest pleasure in Paris: I love walking in Paris, walking home from the Carven office in Rond Point des champs Élysées, down past Le Louvre, via the Palais Royal and so on. For me there is so much insane beauty at every corner.”

For a bonus detail: “I find the Fête de la Musique really interesting – how  the whole country gets together to listen and play music at every corner bar and café. It’s this celebration of community that makes the French so special.”

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