How are you approaching this season? Themes? Colors? Fabrics? Details? Silhouettes?
With optimism, building on the momentum of the previous one; the brand is doing well and maturing. For Ouest, I’m drawing inspiration from the spirit of an era: the nightlife and gay liberation movements of the 1970s and 1980s. Following from last season and as a reaction to the brand’s early, very New York-inspired roots, I wanted to explore a more Parisian aesthetic. Those years in Paris were rich and formative, filled with key characters – some of them a bit controversial – to whom I wanted to pay tribute. The reference to Paris is reflected in the emergence of more “couture” materials in the urban wardrobe, which is infused with Western influences, denim, and leather. Pastel shades on bomber jackets and cowboy shirts, worn with work jeans or leather pants, echoing Claude Montana’s look.
How does this collection differ from the previous one?
It’s the use of color, actually. Powdery pink, an almost baby-blue shade. In an increasingly toxic political climate, where masculinity is becoming threatening once again, where bodies are being standardised, and where a rather disturbing sense of “normality” is regaining the upper hand, I thought it would be fun to apply these “sensitive” colours to our workwear pieces.
In what way is summer a special time for you?
The air seems lighter; it’s hard to put into words. For me, summer is a time to breathe, to take a break.
Do you have a memory connected to a vacation?
Riding my bike back from the beach, my hair still salty.
What are your influences and sources of inspiration?
Always workwear and denim icons. Helmut Lang: I devoured his retrospective exhibition in Vienna a few months ago. Americana, which I’m considering with increasing detachment given the current context. The work of photographers like Karlheinz Weinberger, Stanley Stellar, and Alvin Baltrop. The history of queer Paris – its uniforms, and its key figures.
How important are craftsmanship and tradition to you?
We’ve brought most of our production back to Paris to ensure flexibility, efficiency, and a close relationship with our manufacturers. This allows us to work closely with our manufacturers and observe their work on a daily basis, maintaining an ongoing dialogue. Our production volumes are limited, but we are then able to sell to our community around the world, thereby combining the craftsmanship of Parisian workshops with a global sense of community.
What’s your favourite place in Paris right now?
Now that the nice weather is back, and if I really have to stay in Paris, I’d say the Buttes Chaumont with a group of friends.
Where do you go to escape the heat during heatwaves ?
I’d love to say a beach in the Landes region near my father’s house, or at my mother’s place in the Nice hinterland, but more realistically (and since we have a collection to finish), it’s very comfortable in our studio.
What's your favorite destination?
The destinations mentioned earlier (even our studio!), and I'd add Athens. And, of course, Paris.
This interview has been lightly edited.
L.B
