Christian Lacroix Archives | Wonderland

6 Things We Know About Christian Lacroix for Schiaparelli

Wonderland Staff — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:40:11 +0000

Putting the return of the once-reigning king of couture (sorry, Karl) in context.

1. It’s a one-off

Earlier this week, the buzz was that Rochas’ Marco Zanini was headed there as creative director. That’s still unconfirmed, though what we do know is that Lacroix is only confirmed for one collection, where he will reinterpret 15 iconic Schiaparelli creations for a Paris show in July.

2. Lacroix has loved Schiaparelli since, like, ever

When news of his appointment broke, he told French magazine L’Express that “Elsa is a sacred sphinx […] My wish is to reinstate her at the centre of her fashion house and on the stage through which she seduced the world.” But his love affair started early: when Lacroix set up his label in 1987, he said: “I want to get back to the position where the couture becomes a kind of laboratory of ideas, the way it was with Schiaparelli 40 years ago.”

3. Elsa Schiaparelli deserves her due

Before World War II, Schiaparelli was regarded as one of the greatest designers in Europe (alongside her biggest rival, Coco Chanel). But she failed to adapt to post-war austerity and the label wound down in 1954. Till now, Schiaparelli’s ultra-modern inventiveness and wit lived on in her constantly-referenced designs. So thank god for Tod’s Diego Della Valle, who purchased Schiaparelli in 2006 and announced his plans to revive the label last year.

4. He is the king of spectacle

Lacroix’s spectacular shows are the stuff of legend, and embodied the excess and spectacle of fashion in the 80s and early 90s. Given that fashion crowds have grown accustomed to shows where Karl Lagerfeld rolls a giant globe onto the runway, we can expect Lacroix to throw everything he’s got at an extra-fabulous return.

5. Couture is back, in a big way

Last year, you couldn’t move for trend pieces heralding the return of couture – something that was unthinkable even a few years ago, when it was accused of being too fussy, too elitist, too stuffy. Now, orders from cash-rich customers in Asia and the Middle East have supplanted the usual European crowd and are driving couture to ever more extravagant heights. Why shouldn’t Schiaparelli get some of the action?

6. Lacroix’s return has been a long time coming

When the business went into administration in 2009, no less than the French Cultural Minister said the death of the Lacroix couture would be a “national disaster”. Lacroix stumped up the cash himself to fund his last autumn/winter collection; each model was paid only €50 and milliners, seamstresses and tailors all worked round the clock for free as a final send-off. Since the demise of his house, Lacroix has worked for Desigual and designed for hotels and the stage – so Schiaparelli represents his triumphant return to couture. We hope.

Words: Zing Tsjeng

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JOE DEMPSIE – Murder he wrote

Wonderland Staff — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:40:34 +0000

Joe Dempsie first hit screens in an explosion of pills and chaos as party animal Chris in Skins and he’s since graduated on to cult hits Game Of Thrones and This Is England ’86. Wonderland caught up with the Nottingham lad for an exclusive photoshoot and to find out about his lead role in BBC drama Murder.

You first came to public attention with Chris in Skins. Do you have any plans to reprise the role for its final series?

The show was a massive break for all of us and I think what they’re doing with the last few episodes is a great idea, but if I’m honest I doubt I’d reprise my role. It opened a lot of doors for me but it also closed one or two initially. I kind of spent a few years after doing Skins living in the shadow of the show.

Nicholas Hoult and Dev Patel have gone onto have amazing big screen success. Do you still keep in contact with the guys?

Yeah, we’re pretty much all in contact. Dev is in L.A a lot being world-famous and going to the Oscars and stuff, but when he’s in London or if I’m in the States then we’ll always make time to meet up. Nick is here, there and everywhere. All we normally get to know about Nick is that he lives on planet Earth. He’s filming something new at the minute so when he’s done we’ll be sure to hang out.

Did you carry on watching the show once you’d exited after the second series?

I did for a while. I’m friends with Jack O’Connell who played Cook, so I was keeping tabs on him via the show. Barring that I haven’t really seen any of the new series but I’ve met the cast and they seem like a great bunch.

Was it a conscious decision for you to break your ground in the UK rather than to try and crack America?

Not really. Nick had already had a successful career in movies before we did Skins and everyone knew him from About A Boy. That’s kind of what Skins was initially sold on, that weird looking kid from About A Boy is all grown up and looking sexy, having sex and doing drugs. Nick was always destined to graduate into the big league. With Dev, I think him landing the part in Slumdog Millionaire was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It was amazing to watch him and the year that followed.

Do you think that Skins was the right platform for you to kickstart your career from?

Yeah, without a doubt. I don’t think the Skins cast didn’t get the credit they deserved for the performances that they gave. The programme dealt with a lot of issues and wasn’t just about teenage hedonism.

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What was your first ever role?

I got my first role before I’d even thought about acting as a career. I took part in a Junior Television Workshop in Nottingham, which was kind of like a drama youth club. It was set up in the 80s by ITV as they had studios up north and they wanted to get some local kids involved. In my first year I landed a part in Peak Practice. Attending that workshop has definitely moulded me into the actor that I’ve become.

You play the lead role of Stefan in upcoming BBC drama Murder. Can you tell us a little bit more about it?

We shot it in Edinburgh and it’s directed by Birger Larsen, who directed The Killing. I spent a week helping various actresses perfect their Nottingham accent as that’s where the show is set and that’s where I’m from. I started reading their scripts and noticed a couple of male parts so decided I’d try out for an audition. The character was 37 in the script so I thought I’d try my luck anyway and hopefully they’d call me back to try for the younger guy’s role. They ended up bringing the age down for me.

You play Gendry in Games Of Thrones which has a massive cult following. How did that happen?

I auditioned for a couple of roles before landing the part of Gendry. My character could be the heir to the throne and he just doesn’t know about it. There are people out to get him. I hadn’t heard of any of the books before, but I mentioned to a friend that i was up for a part and he could’t believe it. He’s a massive fantasy fan. At the time I had none of the physical attributes that was required for the role so I hit the gym and dyed my hair. Unfortunately though, I’m still a bit short.

You also took on a role in Merlin. Is fantasy a favoured genre?

The weird thing is is that it’s a genre that I have no interest in whatsoever. I think the reason why Game Of Thrones is so popular is because those fantasy elements are used very sparingly. It’s not all monsters, dragons and wizards. It has more in common with a show like Sopranos than it does Lord Of The Rings.

What else is in store for you for the rest of 2012?

Filming Game Of Thrones is going to keep me occupied until late October. It’s been a good year all in all and I just want to keep on working. And I’m not usually one for patriotism but it’s been really good year to be British.

Murder will premiere on 26th August on BBC2 at 10pm.

WORDS: Shane Hawkins
IMAGES: Luc Coiffait
STYLING: Krishan Parmar

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LAUNCH: Christian Lacroix Maison in Paris

Wonderland Staff — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 11:34:25 +0000

Wonderland checks out the über sleek Christian Lacroix Maison concept store in a former printing shop in Saint Sulpice, Paris – a true lesson in contemporary Parisian chic.

Oozing Parisian cool, the building’s original exposed brick and distressed plasterboard walls play home to clothing hung from simple, black metal-framed railings alongside jewellery and sunglasses spilling from old-fashioned drawer units. Vintage home accessories from the Lacroix archive, scented candles by Welton and stationary manufactured by Libretto are also presented on minimalist black shelves, allowing the three standout pieces of furniture, a collaboration between Lacroix creative direction Sacha Walckhoff and Brazilian designer Rodrigo Almeida, to take centre stage.

The Christian Lacroix concept store is located at 2-4 Place Saint Sulpice, 75006, Paris.

Words: Samantha Southern

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Christian Lacroix – an A-Z

Wonderland Staff — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:02:28 +0000

Christian Lacroix – couturier, fashion historian, carnation-lover and all-time hero of Edina from Absolutely Fabulous – takes Louise Brealey on an alphabetical trip through his life in la mode…

A is for Arles

Christian Lacroix was born in the Southern French town in 1951, “We were totally cut off from everywhere. Ancient traditions were still very alive: old ladies wore their buns tied up with lace and velvet ribbons.”

B is for Bustles, Bows and Bullfighters

In 1987, Lacroix got the ultimate fashion accessory, his own couture house. “The press reaction to the collection was incredibly exciting. But I was moved because my mother and all my friends from the South were there. They acted like they were in a bullfighting arena and shouted ‘Holé! Holé!’ at the models, who were having so much fun to be gypsies and bullfighters!”

C is for Carnations

Guests at a Lacroix show always find a carnation on their chair. “I remember going to the market with my grandmother as a boy and seeing the endless stalls selling fish, bread, fruit and, everywhere, carnations…”

D is for Daring

Asked what sort of woman wears a Lacroix gown, the couturier answers “a daring one”. “My clothes are like costumes,” he continues, “helping people to play their own characters in a life that might be tough.”

… and for David Lynch

One of Lacroix’s favourite filmmakers. “I love his way of mixing reality and sur-reality,” he explains. “I feel that my own dreams and nightmares belong to the same territory. And Twin Peaks… oh-la-la.”

E is for the Eighties

Given that his own label has been described as the epitome of 80s excess, it comes as a surprise to learn that Lacroix was “not so in love with the 80s” in fashion terms. “For me it was the era of Dynasty and Dallas, a decade of big spenders and new money, open-minded, but a little bit vulgar,” he says.

F is for Freelance

Lacroix is happy to be what he calls “a mercenary for hire”. Highlights of his non-couture CV include designing the stewardess uniforms for Air France in 2002; the interiors of a third generation of TGV trains in 2003; and rooms in several Parisian hotels including Le Petit Moulin. He is now working on designs for a new tramline in Montpellier.

G is for Gypsies

The gypsies of Provençe have held Lacroix in their thrall since he was a small boy, but as a designer he has had to struggle with their overweening influence. “After the first collection people had it in mind that the House of Lacroix was the House of the Gypsies, the House of the South.”
H is for Haute Couture

When Maison Lacroix became the first haute couture house to open in Paris since Gaultier in 1976, its director was hailed as fashion’s new Messiah. The international press went ballistic: ‘Vive Lacroix! There’s been nothing like it in 25 years,’ proclaimed The Sunday Times.

…and for History

As a boy, he would spend hours poring over old fashion magazines in his grandparents’ attic: “My grandmother was born at the end of the 19th century and she used to talk to me about her own grandmother who was born in the 18th century, whom she knew… so I always felt very connected to the past.”

I is for Infamy

In the 90s, Jennifer Saunders made Lacroix the favourite designer of her comedy creation Edina Monsoon, Absolutely Fabulous’ ghastly fashion-victim heroine. “I really enjoyed being caricatured through AbFab. I’m not saying my fashion is vulgar, but it is not based on so-called good taste, and it is a bit loud for some people.”

J is for Jean-Jacques Picart

It was PR giant Jean-Jacques Picart who made possible Lacroix’s meteoric rise in French fashion. In 1987 Picart persuaded financiers to stump up the $88 million needed to begin Maison Lacroix. “That was the beginning of Lacroix,” insists Picart. “It was like a shout.”

K is for Knighthood

In 2002 the designer was awarded the Chevalier de la légion d’honneur, the highest decoration in France. “I was proud but I was feeling that it was a little bit undeserved,” he confesses.

L and M are for Love and Marriage

He has been married to Françoise Roesensthiel since 1989. The pair met in Paris in 1973 – when Lacroix was a student at the Sorbonne and Roesensthiel an assistant at Jean-Jacques Picart’s PR agency.

N is for New Collection

“The new collection is inspired by The Princesse de Clêves, a French 18th century novel that I love. It has the feeling of Jean Cocteau’s film La Belle et La Bête, but with short skirts.”

O is for Oscar Wilde

“I read that Wilde felt that Basil, the painter character, was his true self: modest, sensitive and shy; and that the cynical and hedonistic Lord Henry is who people thought Wilde was…I loved this because it reflected my own experience: people were always thinking I was somebody else, a bit more loud or more eccentric than I was.”

P is for Le Pouf

The Lacroix puffball skirt or ‘pouf’ was an instant fashion classic. “I was alone in a hotel in Florence, cutting up some old fashion engravings from the 1880s with bustles, and I was playing around and I had the idea to cut the skirt like a mini-skirt and to put some modern legs underneath.”

Q is for Quotation

Lacroix has two mottos. Jean Cocteau: “What the public criticizes in you, cultivate. It is you.” And Nietzsche: “One must still have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star.”

R is for Ready-To-Wear

“It was a relief to be free of LVMH and it was a good opportunity for me to learn to fight,” he says. “What we are trying to build now is to stay credible in the luxury field. To do that we have to be even more exclusive.”

S is for Sketching

“I sketch every day.” He doesn’t carry around a notebook, preferring instead to scribble with biro, felt-tip or ink on the back of scrap-paper: “I am a bordel [a mess],” he laughs.

T is for the Theatre

“As a child I lived by proxy through movies, literature, theatre. So my real life was when the curtain was up, when the lights were down. Escapism is one of my favourite English words. And nowadays the dreams of the child I was take form in my job, which is not only couture, but theatre costume design. I do one production a year.”

U is for Ups and Downs

Black Monday, the biggest stockmarket crash in history, happened just nine days before Lacroix’s New York debut in October 1987. “Everything became minimal,” he recalls. “Just a few months later, even the richest women I knew – who’d all worn big poufs and big jewels and big hairdos – were in menswear with black glasses.”

V is for the Virgin Mary

Lacroix’s mother wanted him to be a priest.: “I hate anything connected with the Pope, I think it’s terrible his attitude to sex and AIDS. But I love to be in churches and in the South we have a deep love for the Virgin Mary. People talk to her as if she were a real woman: ‘You’re a bitch, I prayed to you but you didn’t do anything for me…’”

W is for Wedding Dress

Each Lacroix show ends with a bride: “A wedding dress epitomises every woman’s dream of being centre stage; as though it were the theatre or ballet.”

X is for XCLX

“My name doesn’t belong to me I was so embarrassed,” he laughs. “When the time came to add my signature to the contract, I hadn’t thought what to call the company. My lawyer had XLX as shorthand for my name on the front of his case file, so we went for a variation on that!”

Y is for Yves Saint Laurent

“He influenced us all. The first time I saw his face and his work was on the cover of Paris-Match in 1958. I was seven years old and even at that age I could see these girls were not the usual French elegant woman. This very tiny, thin guy became such an important old man: he helped French fashion to enter modernity. And he was so, so nice. I loved his voice, his culture… the mass was very emotional. I never loved him as deeply as I did during his funeral.”

Z is for Zeitgeist

Do you think you are in tune with the spirit of the age? “I love discovering anything brand new; I love to feel the breeze of the moment… I strongly believe that both past and future coexist in the present.”
The Recontres d’Arles photographic exhibition, guest curated by Lacroix, runs until September 14. rencontres-arles.com

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