PeutEtre_Hyères_Issue

peut être Special issue 1

The Hyères Issue

peut-ĂŞtre

Backstage at Lea Peckre

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CONTENTS

Special Issue 1

Backstage at Emilie Meldem

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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR INTERVIEW Jean-Pierre Blanc BEHIND THE SCENES Emilie Meldem INTERVIEW Charlötte Cargnello BEHIND THE SCENES Maryam Kordbacheh BACKSTAGE PASS BEHIND THE SCENES Céline Méteil INTERVIEW Kelsey Close BEHIND THE SCENES Léa Peckre INTERVIEW Gwendaëlle Laugier CONTRIBUTORS

On our cover : Emilie Meldem hooded jacket.

Model in an Oda Pausma outfit having a break after the last show and before the awards ceremony.

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

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I first attended the Hyères Fashion Festival in May 2011. Having heard so much about it, I was very excited to watch the designers’ collections, as Hyères festival is renowned for discovering future top designers.

Meeting, interviewing them and seeing their collections up close was a wonderful experience, confirming to me that some of them will have their own show and label and certainly become top designers Many of the designers introduced their graduate collection, or showed their first ever collection.

This was often hard to believe, as some of them were extremely professional, demonstrating rare magic, which draws together technical skills, creativity and beauty.

It was especially thrilling to share the young designers’ dreams, fears, excitement and expectations ; and to see the support given to them by models, hairdressers, and make up artists.

In this issue you’ll discover my impression of the 26th Hyères Festival, through pictures and interviews with people who participated in that project at different levels.

If you could not attend it I hope you’ll feel as if you were there, and if we shared that wonderful experience together, I hope it will remind you of happy moments, or make you view them in a different manner.

Nathalie Malric, creative director.

All images copyright © Nathalie Malric unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from the publisher.

Copyright Peut-Être magazine 2011

INTERVIEW

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Jean-Pierre Blanc

Director of La Villa Noailles

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Jean-Pierre Blanc is the director of Villa Noailles and creator of the fashion and photography festival at Hyères, whose notoriety is growing year after year. He could have left his native city to move to Paris, but chose instead to stay in the city he wants to promote, by bringing people from all over the world attracted by the exhibitions and festivals he organizes with his team. On the 3rd of October 2011, Jean-Pierre received the well-deserved “Officier dans l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres” (Order of Arts and Letters) an Order of France, in recognition his long-time support to young designers.

Interview Nathalie Malric - Translation Clarice Chian

Peut-Être : Hello Jean-Pierre, can you tell to me about your background ?

Jean-Pierre : After high school I completed an International Trading Degree, and the creation of the Festival was my theoretical graduation project. Then the city of Hyères offered me the chance to turn this project into reality in 1986. I got a job in the Cultural Affairs of the city in 1989, and was later named Director of the Cultural Affairs. I was offered a sneak peek at villa Saint Bernard, which was renamed villa Noailles as homage to the wonderful ‘godparents’ Marie-Laure and Charles de Noailles. In 1990 I fell in love with this place, and since then I haven’t stopped making exhibitions in that beautiful place.

What qualities are required to be selected as a fashion designer ?

The qualities are quite subjective, but some are essential.

The designers have to love their job ; they have to be able to communicate that love to people who see their application file. They have to be able to show their skills and their sense of innovation in their use of materials and shapes. Most of the time we select designers with these criteria. Sometimes we see alchemy in the files, there is often an incredible balance in everything that is presented: it is beautiful and creative.

Was it difficult to convince sponsors ?

To be honest, I met the right people at the right time. At the time, the festival had already garnered international fame, which was inviting to investors. Thanks to that fame some sponsorships have lasted. We have two main sponsors : LVMH and L’Oreal, for more than 10 years. It is more than sponsorship; they really are involved in the project. We are very fortunate to be able to do all this thanks to two guardian angels : Didier Grumbach, the president of the Villa Noailles and Pascale Mussard, the president of the association of the friends of Saint Bernard.

How do you feel when you see that many of the winners have their own shows or collections in Paris ?

It is very rewarding; they are like my children.

Was it your idea to keep on sponsoring artists like the couple Noailles did ?

At the very beginning there were only exhibitions in the villa, it had nothing to do with the Fashion Festival. The festival took place at the villa for the first time in 1996, it would have been very pretentious to think we could do the same thing that MarieLaure and Charles de Noailles did. Little by little we noticed we were following their path, but we hadn’t done so intentionally.

We don’t have the same budget, we just started with the desire to help young creators.

How has the Festival evolved since it first began ?

It is like day and night, even if it is still quite difficult. Our annual budget, 1.5 million Euros (for two festivals : fashion / photography and design) is the same as a big exhibition in Paris.

But things have changed ; we started with less than 8000 Euros 25 years ago. Yet we have a lot of things to do, to do things even more professionally.

How many candidature files do you receive every year ?

Between 200 and 300.

Do you think that it has something to do with the fact that they won a Hyères Festival prize ?

It is difficult to know, they should be asked, perhaps. We try to welcome the designers in the most professional way as possible.

I think it is very helpful for them for their future.

If you had a bigger budget to help designers and photographers, what would you do ?

I would create a prototype workshop where designers could make their prototypes for free. I’m working on it, they would do it at Villa Noailles.

What are your next projects ?

I’m preparing the 6th festival of design at the Villa. It’s going to be the first week of July, with an International jury.

You grew up in Hyères, can you tell me how you see it ?

I think it’s a wonderful place ; I created the festival for the city.

I do this job because the aspiration of my life is to share. This includes sharing my love for my city, with people coming from other places. I see the creation of exhibitions and events like sharing pleasure and emotions, with the public and the artists.

Jean-Pierre Blanc congratulating winner Léa Peckre after the awards ceremony

“I do this job because the aspiration of my life is to share.

This includes sharing my love for my city, with people coming from other places.

I see the creation of exhibitions and events like sharing pleasure and emotions, with the public and the artists”

INTERVIEW

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Emilie Meldem

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Designer Emilie Meldem was awarded the ‘Prize of the Jury’ at Hyères Fashion Festival, the ‘Jury’ comprising of fashion ‘heavyweights’ such as designers Raf Simmons, Christopher Kane, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, in addition to fashion journalists Cathy Horyn and Tim Blanks. Emilie found an outlet for her creativity in fashion, for which the design process is a clear question she has for herself, which she tries to find a solution for in her clothes. In her interview with Peut-être, we find out more about where she has come from, and where she intends to go from here.

Interview Nathalie Malric - Translation Clarice Chian

Peut-Être : Hello Emilie, how did you get selected for Hyères festival ?

Emilie : I sent a portfolio in which I had to included drawings, with the technical aspects, materials, and only one complete sewn outfit. It is easier to compete because you don’t have to have a complete finished collection, which costs a lot of money. I was in the middle of my work experience at Viktor and Rolf when I got the reply regarding my application, so I had to cut it short. Thanks to Première Vision, who is a sponsor of the festival, you get to meet a lot of people to build the collection.

Which fashion school did you study in ?

I completed my Masters Degree at “Paris Institut Français de la Mode” after my Bachelor’s Degree at the Ecole de Bahl in Switzerland.

What is the inspiration of the collection ?

I was inspired by Switzerland, which is a very closed country, lost amongst mountains, without many connections to the rest of the world. I invented stories around people, inspired by Swiss traditions that I reinterpreted in an “esoteric carnival” and “cross-country skiing” world.

The collection is about minimal eccentricities, using contrasting materials. There is leather, a technical material that is usually used as a lining, to allow air to circulate by keeping warm or cool air. There is also starched and cut cotton, orylag, which is a kind of rabbit, and alpaca.

Where did the idea for the wooden dresses come from ?

From religious processions in Switzerland and land art. Every branch was taken from a forest I grew up next to, and was treated like a pearl or a jewellery piece ; it was sanded, drilled and then threaded.

What are your upcoming projects ?

I want to work for fashion designers, learn a lot through work experience, and at the same time have my own projects, my own world and aesthetic. Later on, I would like to have my own brand.

“I invented stories around people, inspired by Swiss traditions that I reinterpreted in an esoteric carnival and cross-country skiing world.

The collection is about minimal eccentricities, using contrasting materials”

BEHIND THE SCENES

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Emilie Meldem

Mention spĂŠciale du Jury 2011

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Titled “Odlhou”, Emilie’s collection took inspiration from the many contradictions she sees in her country : rigid and stern yet profoundly eccentric, wedged between modernity and tradition, restriction and freedom, fragility and strength. Emilie translated this contrast and duality into her collection, resulting in a form of minimal eccentricity that was equally decorative and radical, commercial and conceptual.

Wooden sticks and deconstructed lederhosen punctuated her presentation, which was heavily accented with leather, including an intriguing multi-pocketed vest. Although her clothes are relatively theatrical, Emilie believes there are many wearable pieces that can be worn in everyday life, some with loud elements as well as more simple items ; from simple capes, traditional suspenders, and muslin blouses to tops, skirts and coats woven out of wooden twigs.

“Half my village helped on the dress”, she said.

Clarice Chian

INTERVIEW

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Charlรถtte Cargnello

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Charlotte Caragnello started dying her hair at the tender age of 13, in a dark red colour. More recently, her blue hair and vintage look caught the attention of many at Hyères festival, from Street Stylers to French Vogue.

I had never seen such a beautiful and subtle hair dye, with striking deep indigo blue and so many shades, from the palest blue to deeper cobalt and even touches of violet.

As a child, I was fascinated by vividly coloured-hair characters from the 80’s. Japanese cartoons like Minky Momo, Lady Lovely Locks, My Little Pony, and Jem & the Holograms ; I wanted to have the same hair colours.

When I saw Charlotte at the opening cocktail of the festival I felt the same childlike fascination and couldn’t help staring at her. I approached her the day after to tell her I wanted to photograph and interview her.

She talked to me about her Hyères festival expectations, her job, inspirations, and of course... her hair !

Interview Nathalie Malric - Translation Clarice Chian

Hello Charlotte, is this your first time at the Hyères Festival ?

It’s my second time, and I loved my first. I think it’s going to be an event I can’t miss every year.

What do you like most about this festival ?

I love the mood, and that it’s not in Paris. There is a pleasant mood, people are warmer, and you can approach them and make contacts more easily. You spend three evenings with the same people, it’s as if you were at summer camp, like you weren’t in touch with the outside world.

Do you come to Hyères with particular expectations, professional maybe ?

I like to discover new talents; the finalists are of a high level.

What is great about Hyères is that you can talk to them, you meet interesting people, you can see the collections very close, and it’s interesting to discover ten different worlds. Also, the festival takes place at the right time of year, the weather is nice, and you make artistic and human encounters, with people relaxed by that special mood in Hyères.

Who is your favourite designer ?

Emilie Meldem, the Swiss girl. I love her collection, a mix of materials like wood, fur, leather straps, and sky prints ; the range of colours is beautiful.

Have you been approached by a lot of people because of your hair colour ?

Yes, pretty much.

What was your previous hair colour ?

Brown with pink tips.

How long have you been dying your hair for ?

Since I was 13.

What other colours have you experimented with ?

Every shade between brunette and blonde, very often red and also true red. I have also had pink, turquoise, green and purple tips. Blue is my favourite colour, probably because it’s the latest one, it’s a little bit like nail polish: you always put the latest one you bought.

Does it compel you to adapt your wardrobe ?

It does a little with the blue dye. I don’t wear my red shoes because I wear light-coloured blouses and I don’t want to look like the French flag. And most of all I don’t wear make up anymore because I don’t want to look like a dancer from The Crazy Horse.

What’s your actual job ?

I’m a freelance photo stylist. I’m in charge of styling, trends, and runways at Le Salon du prêt-à-porter. I also dress up artists and am sometimes an assistant on fashion shoots.

What’s your inspiration ?

Everything inspires me. Everything surrounding us, we are always exposed to new images, compositions, colours, and shapes.

Do you have upcoming projects?

I’m creating a collection of accessories, it is very important to me. It is only in its early stages, but I hope to show it in September. It’s going to be embroidered shirtfronts, but I am still at the research stage.

“The festival takes place at the right time of year, and you make artistic and human encounters, with people relaxed by that special mood in Hyères”

INTERVIEW

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Ma足ryam Kordbacheh

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Iranian-born Dutch designer Maryam Kordbacheh caught our attention with the breathtaking collection “The Fragile Formation” she presented at the Hyères Festival, with beautifully sculpted fabrics and delicate forms to her clothing.

In her own words : The allure of a design resides in its purity. I mold and discover my own patterns. Experimentation, problem solving and searching for a personal way to realize my designs are most important to me. My collection, rather than being clothes, is a kind of intimate sculptures. Thankfully her intuitions lead her to fashion rather than surgery, as she shares below.

Interview Nathalie Malric - Translation Clarice Chian

Peut-Être : What is your background, and current role in the fashion industry ?

Maryam : I studied a Master in Fashion Design at the Fashion Institute Arnhem in the Netherlands, and am currently working on my own label.

Do you remember when and why you thought, “I want to be a designer” ?

I was studying biology at a younger age and wanted to be a surgeon. However, at the same time I loved to draw and paint.

I draw mostly people ; the shape of human body fascinates me.

But I think after all it was not a decision, rather an intuition.

Some pieces you have presented at Hyères are from collections you have called “the sexuality of flowers” and “bloom”. Your beautiful organic pieces certainly remind me a lot of flowers, like layers of petals in a rose bud, or open flowers in the wind.

Is nature and flowers a great inspiration for your clothes ?

What else inspires you ?

My work is inspired by the sensual shapes of nature’s world and is based on the construction principles that are also found in nature. The designs are in fact intimate sculptures for the female body. They are handmade and molded from one single length of fabric. The shapes are not forced; they are defined rather intuitively than mathematically; in spite of the complex and technical challenges involved in their design. Yes, my work is inspired mainly by nature, but also love. And that is defined in the passion and patience translated to delicacy.

What kind of materials do you use for your collections ?

I use natural materials such as silk, cotton, silk jersey, cashmere, and organdy. Most fabrics are then hand-dyed with organic pigments or natural dyes like tea, coffee and herbs. I use lightweight materials that are also easy to maintain their shape.

In addition, I use single-color fabrics so that the attention goes to the construction.

Tell me about the shoes, did you design them yourself ? Or are they from a shoe designer ?

The shoes for The Fragile Formation is also inspired by the fluid swirling of the organic nature; female feet is wrapped.

The shoes are designed and made by Yelena Ryzhova.

What did Hyères festival bring you? What kind of experience was it for you ?

For days before we left Netherlands for Hyeres we lacked sleep, which continued even in the hotel where we stayed in Hyeres. That is because I still had a lot of handwork to finish.

Thankfully, everything finished on time. Hyères Festival was an opportunity to show my universe to a broader public, I loved villa Noailles and the Hyeres family.

“My work is inspired by the sensual shapes of nature’s world and is based on the construction principles that are also found in nature”

BEHIND THE SCENES

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Ma足ryam Kordbacheh

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Dutch designer Maryam Kordbacheh sees clothing as a three-dimensional object, whilst two-dimensional patterns are just as fascinating to her. With a keen interest in problem solving, experimentation and searching for a personal way to realize her designs and discovering her own patterns, she was inspired by nature’s organic formation for the collection she showed at Hyeres Fashion Festival.

Maryam’s handcrafted garments were molded from a single length of fabric, which initially appear effortless, despite their incredibly refined and intimate sculptural form, with intricate and flawless pleating and folding.

The colors she uses are handmade with organic pigments or natural dyes like tea, coffee and herbs, which made for a beautifully soft and pastel palette in this collection, highlighted by a stunning coral shade. The resulting collection was ethereal, feminine and romantic, without being overly so. That is because regardless of the complex and technical ideas involved in their design, Maryam´s work conveys an exacting simplicity and finds a balance between experimental and wearable design, between dreams and reality.

“To me the allure of design resides in its purity” – Maryam Kordbacheh.

Clarice Chian

backstage pass

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INTERVIEW

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Céline Méteil

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The jury at the Hyères International Festival awarded 32-year old French designer Céline Meteil the Première Vision Prize for her “Plié Backstage” collection, which comprised of airy and structured origami dresses made from jaconas.

The jury, presided over by Raf Simons, were won over by her architectural designs that built on layers of transparency and lace and were fashioned in subtle balance with fluid knits. In addition to the Première Vision Prize (which included 10,000€), she was also awarded the Public Prize, proving she won the hearts of both sponsors and show guests. Selected from among ten other finalists, Meteil’s series of romantic and progressive ready-to-wear pieces was also her first collection at Hyères International Festival of Fashion and Photography.

With an exciting future ahead of her, Céline talks about the road that has led her here so far.

Interview Nathalie Malric - Translation Clarice Chian

Peut-Être : How did your desire to be a fashion designer come about ?

Céline : It has always been there, but not in an obvious way.

Like any child, I was making paper boxes, and crafting things myself, I was always drawing.

When I was a little girl, my mother sewed dresses for me, but I never asked her to teach me to sew. I started thinking of being a fashion designer when I started learning to sew.

I was not good at studies, so after high school, I learned couture in Britany (where I am from). Then I had work experience in clothes manufactures, on sewing machines, it was production line work.

A company manager working in the manufacture told me : “If you want to be a fashion designer, become a patternmaker first. Think about understanding an outfit, and how to build it. When you explain your product to people, you’ll be more convincing”.

Then I moved to Paris, I studied to obtain a “Brevet de Technicien (BTS) en Haute Couture” (Diploma in Haute Couture).

They rewarded their best students by sending them to the most beautiful designers houses, and I was sent to Givenchy.

Alexander McQueen was their designer at the time, in 1999.

Then I had a brainwave. I was working in a beautiful fashion house, I attended the show, and it gave me goose bumps. Until then I hadn’t thought much about having my own label.

Then you decided to have your own fashion show ?

Yes, it took place at the Musée Galliéra. A lady working there loved my collection and helped me do the show. My husband, who is scenographer, also helped me a lot, he is my first supporter. Then our little girl was born in 2008. After my pregnancy I needed to do something on my own as a woman.

When I sent my file to Hyères for the selection, I felt very confident. And yet the festival entry form for the competition had been on my table every year, for ten years, and I hadn’t dared enter the contest until then. I hadn’t felt I was ready for it, I think you need a certain level of maturity to do the Hyères festival.

I heard you also worked for John Galliano ?

Yes, the first year of my fashion design studies in Paris, at LISAA School, I did work experience at Galliano. I really liked working there, everyone had his or her own personality, and it was a very lively place.

Then Felipe Oliveira Batista hired me ; he had just won Hyères festival. When I started working with him we were just the three of us: him, his wife and I. We worked on his first couture collection. I attended the castings, fittings, and worked on the collection from A to Z. It is very encouraging for me to see where he is now.

How would you describe the persona of Céline Méteil’s ?

The jacona fabric.

How would you describe your experience at Balenciaga ?

It was experimental couture, new techniques, and new fabrics.

Does the fact that your family was at Hyères with you give another dimension to the prizes you won ?

Yes of course, my parents always supported me, they were very happy for me. It was rewarding for them and my husband, because he got involved a lot in my projects. And my little baby saw her mummy radiant and happy.

Have you felt any change since you won two awards at the Hyères Festival ?

My work is recognized; people put a face to a name. Before I was working in the ateliers, people don’t see us. It’s a culmination of a lot of work, and I’m happy. It’s a beautiful dream, I big step for me. And the mood at the Villa Noailles is so special.

How did you get the idea for that ?

After you receive the sketches, the prototypes are cut in that fabric. The fittings are made with that fabric. That white fabric has always moved me during fittings. It’s considered as a “poor” fabric, but I always thought it was noble and pure. It’s a little bit sheer, so you can see through it but it’s not completely transparent. You see the body but it’s not naked.

And the foldable outfit ?

I got the idea when I looked at a gusset envelope.

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Did you have to work a lot on the gusset / pleats on a technical level ?

Yes I had, the pleats had to be perfect on the shoulders, I really had to work on it. After using only toile I started mixing it with silk jersey. I think that what will define my label and my style is that there will always be a piece of toile in my creations.

My work will obviously evolve but when you see a piece of clothing from my label, you’ll recognize my style because there will be at least a small piece of toile on it.

Are you trying to add some colours in your collection ?

I dyed some toile pieces for my small pop up store at Premiere Vision Salon, I made several colored tops, in mint, daffodil, lilac…

What are your inspirations ?

Everyday life. I love to look at classical foundations ; I like Bohan, who used to be a designer for Dior, and try to have a modern vision of things. I got inspired by crinolines from the 19th century and wondered how I could make it modern, without the boning, so you can fold it and put it in your luggage. I just asked myself : “What does a woman want to wear” ? I wish to have a timeless style.

Which opportunities did your prize bring you ?

I have been contacted by overseas boutiques that would like to buy some pieces. Thanks to Premiere Vision I got a sponsor, Sophie Hallette that makes beautiful lace, an Italian fabric weaver offered me fabric to support me.

What good advices have your received ?

To make good choices, be patient, and take my time.

What is your dream ?

I would love to have my own label of course. I trust life.

“The festival entry form for the competition had been on my table every year, for ten years, and I hadn’t dared enter the contest until then”

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A new piece presented at Céline’s Boutique Ephémère at 1ère Vision fabric show in september 2011

BEHIND THE SCENES

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Céline Méteil

Prix du Public & Prix Première Vision 2011

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Céline Méteil’s Spring / Summer 2011 collection “Plié Backstage” used jacona and jersey to create a flawless collection of dresses and separates. Usually unseen, the plain cotton-weave jacona is stiff and transparent, and is customarily used to fashion a three-dimensional muslin prototype of a garment.

Méteil, on the other hand, metamorphosed the humble jacona into a very fine fabric for ethereal dresses and architectural pieces, layered with lace and teamed with fluid knits. Garments were constructed out of various panels and the solid white seams highlighted the transparency and delicacy of each piece. The result were feminine shapes that were structured and voluminous, mainly on the skirts that jutted out from the hips and lacey dresses, as well as delicate sheer tops with exaggerated bow-ties.

Méteil also gave the light-as-air collection an architectural feel by applying permanent creases and designated folds to the structured and voluminous shapes of ‘origami dresses’, as if they were folded into a suitcase and retained the memory of its pleats, ready to instantly revert to its initial form.

The collection is an encounter with a fabric. I always loved fittings, I found it magic, it is when you discover sketches, the construction of the dress, it is a beautiful moment. Jaconas is what you use for test-clothes : it is pure garment and construction.”

“I come from behind-the-scenes, the workshop. I am one of those people you never see.” (Céline Méteil). Just like her signature fabric, Céline Méteil moved from backstage to the catwalk, from behind-the-scenes to the spotlight, where she ought to be.

Clarice Chian

INTERVIEW

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Kelsey Close Major Paris

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Kelsey Close is originally from Anchorage, Alaska. She signed with an agency when she was 14 years old, once her mother’s agency in Anchorage was able to introduce her to an agency in New York.

After finishing high school, she moved to New York and now lives in Brooklyn.

This being her second time in France, she already cannot wait to come back, due to her love for Paris and the French culture.

Interview Nathalie Malric - Translation Clarice Chian

Peut-Être : Kelsey, what did your agency tell you about Hyères festival before they sent you there ?

Kelsey : My agency did not tell me too many details before I went. Only that there would be lots of shows and parties, and to bring lots of sun block. (I burn very easily).

When did you arrive at the Festival and what did you do there ?

All the models arrived two days before the shows started. The first day was the longest, we had to do fittings for all eleven designers that were showing, and hair and make up tests for all the designers as well. The second day was for presentations to the judges’ panel. We had to wear the clothes for the panel while the judges asked the designers questions about their pieces and perfumes they had created. The last three days we had shows everyday, and parties at night where we were able to hang out with the designers and hair and make up team, it was a lot of fun.

How was it doing shows for young designers who were in competition ? Did you feel it was different from a regular fashion show ?

The young designers were great to work with. They were all very lovely people, and have so much talent and creativity.

These are the great designers of tomorrow and it was such a pleasure to get to know them and work with them. It will be interesting to see where their careers end up going. For me, the shows in Hyeres were a little different from fashion week.

Having a hair and make up change in the middle of a show was new to me. Also, in fashion week shows, it feels more like a job. We show up, get hair and make up done, walk the runway, then leave. In Hyères, we were able to get to know the designers. We were all rooting for our designers and cheering them on. I think all the models put more heart into everything because we truly wanted our designers to succeed.

Was it really different from Paris, to be in the south of France and why ?

The south of France is very different from Paris. Paris is a busy city where one thing or another is always going on. Hyères is a very small, beautiful, calm beach town. The landscape is beautiful, but the pace of life is much slower.

You’ve been wearing the most spectacular outfit of Emilie Meldem’s collection, who won a special prize. What did you like about her collection ?

Emilie’s collection was wonderful. She stayed true to her Swiss roots by incorporating nature and Swiss sporting attire into her collection. She also had very daring pieces that were extremely well made and made sense with the story her collection told On top of everything she is a very sweet person and it was a pleasure to work with her.

“These are the great designers of tomorrow and it was such a pleasure to get to know them and work with them.

It will be interesting to see where their careers end up going”

INTERVIEW

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Léa Peckre

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A former apprentice at various fashion houses such as Rochas, Givenchy, Maison Martin Margiela, Chloe and Jean Paul Gaultier, Lea describes her personal style as ‘sober’: “I try to do as simple as possible, finding a new kind of elegance is my obsession…Construction must be classical but with a pure line. Details and fabrics are my priorities.

I play with graphic elements, like cut, contrast of colors…to find different body lines and new attitudes.”

Here, she shares about the inspiration behind her “Cemeteries Are Fields of Flowers” collection, which won her a prize at the Hyères Festival.

Interview Nathalie Malric - Translation Clarice Chian

Peut-Être : Hi Léa, in which school did you study fashion ?

Léa : I studied in La Cambre in Brussels, graduating in June 2010.

And then you won an award in September 2010.

Yes, the Fashion Week End Knack award, which is a Belgian award. Each year they select the best students from the biggest European Fashion Schools like St Martin’s School, Anvers, and Parsons School.

Is the collection you are presenting here in Hyères your graduation collection ?

It is for my Masters degree, which is a very independent year.

You are just guided to present your collection to a jury at the end of the year. Sometimes you see your workshop manager, but it is a quite professional year.

I heard you had your own designs for the sequins ?

Yes they were printed in China in seven different types of wood, going from light to darker shades. There is also a greygreen shade, so that the sequins match the chiffon silk and lace perfectly.

Did you embroider the sequins yourself ?

No, they were embroidered in India. I had to handle it on my own, and spent one month getting information on how to find manufacturing shops. We corresponded by email, and then I went to Delhi to visit some manufacturing shops. Although they always say ‘yes’, it doesn’t mean they have time to accomplish it for you. So, to play it safe, I used three different manufacturing shops to ensure the embroideries could be completed.

What other materials did you use ?

For the jackets I used wool and crushed lurex by Karin Sajo, who works with upholstery, which explains the thickness of the fabrics. For the bottom half of the dresses I used silk chiffon.

I worked a lot on the contrast of the materials, the brightness of the plastic, and the raw, matte aspect of cotton and wool, which absorb light.

The hoods on the models’ heads remind me of nuns’ wimples.

Was that your intention ?

Not at all, I wanted something very graphic, and I had in mind the idea of a very particular light, of contrasts, like clair obscur on the paintings of Caravaggio. I wanted to cover the head, arms and legs, everything around the body, to focus attention to the center of the body.

The inspiration of the collection is cemeteries, without the macabre aspect of it. Is it a subject that is very important for you or is it an exercise of style like any other ?

There are so many things I marvel at. It can be cemeteries or the bar and tobacco shop downstairs, just because there is a special lighting. Cemeteries are not invaded by new technologies; they are timeless places, with an incredible variety of materials. I had training as a ceramist, materials are very important for me. Stones, the architecture of mausoleums, vegetation, and nature are a great source of inspiration.

“I wanted something very graphic, and I had in mind the idea of a very particular light, of contrasts, like clair obscur on the paintings of Caravaggio”

BEHIND THE SCENES

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Léa Peckre

Grand Prix du Jury L’Oréal Professionnel 2011

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French designer Léa Peckre was the winner of the L’Oréal Professional Grand Prize at Hyères, for her structured “Cemeteries Are Fields of Flowers” collection.

With a design aesthetic that is sophisticated, graphic and poetic, Léa extracted elements and graphic details that could be found in cemeteries such as vines, gravestones, mausoleums, eccentric architectural pieces, wrought iron and wood.

These were reflected in the thick fabrics with incredible texture, matted wool, heavy velvets, woven with a structure close to wood, in an earthy and woody palette, from brown to white, and deep dark black to vert-de-gris and charcoal grey.

Léa experimented with different techniques, producing a series of embroideries that allowed for an organic approach, while the silhouettes were developed afterwards. The self-designed wood-printed sequins she created in India were subsequently embroidered on relatively thick fabrics, creating striking volume with sculpted and architectural silhouettes. Léa says that she wanted to make her jackets evoke the beauty of roots growing into each other, which translated into a multitude of incrustations.

The construction of the garment was partly structured, often fairly substantial to be evocative of graves and adorned monuments. In contrast, sets of transparent and light fabrics (such as muslins, silk jersey, lace – with their edges left raw) allowed for a balance between the dark concept of graves or monuments and the more poetic image of the blurred light that appears to filter through cemeteries.

Fascinated by the reflection and refraction of light, Léa Peckre was inspired by Caravaggio and Friederich’s paintings, combining opaque, transparent and reflective materials in order to magnify the skin and allow the body to be perceived, and playing with contrasts, such as black framing the face, legs and arms.

With her breathtaking and extremely covetable collection, Léa Peckre managed to convey beautifully the ‘light and dark’ contrast she strived to achieve, using sequins in a manner that was pared-down, nude and transparent fabrics that were not crude and thick fabrics that did not look bulky. Everything was perfectly balanced…

Clarice Chian

INTERVIEW

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Gwendaëlle Laugier

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I first met Gwen whilst waiting for a shuttle next to Villa Noialles in Hyères, as I took note of how beautiful she was.

I first approached her to ask if I could photograph her, and we boarded the shuttle together, where I learnt she lived in Hyères. She later shared with me her experience in the early years of the Hyeres festival, how she sees the festival, how it evolved and how it changed the city Interview Nathalie Malric - Translation Clarice Chian

Peut-Être : How long have you been living in Hyères, and how would you describe it ?

Gwendaëlle : I have been living in Hyères for twelve years, but have always lived near it. I was born just a few miles away, about 5 minutes from it. I was going to high school in Hyères, hanging around… Everyday I say to myself “How lucky I am to live here!”. It’s a beautiful, pleasant, and sunny place, where it’s good to live. And it’s so vast: the historic old center of the city, the sea, the numerous beaches and creeks, the islands, the country, the hills, the vineyards… You can see a different landscape within a few minutes.

How do people who live in Hyères feel about the festival ?

I think they are simply proud of that festival that puts their city under the spotlights, and in a unusual, special way : with fashion and photography.

What impulse did the festival bring to the city ? Did you feel a change since the beginning of the festival ?

Hyères was already reknowned on a touristic level. Thanks to the festival it became a city that counts, in a way we didn’t expect, with fashion. It was a crazy challenge to think that people would agree to travel to Hyères.

Twenty-six years later, we can say the challenge is won, because not only Parisians are excited to come here, but also people from all over the world. It was a local event and it has become international. What has also changed is that during the festival, magazines, televison, and websites talk about Hyères, in France and other countries. Thanks to the festival (and the others that were born thanks to the fashion festival : photography, design, electronic music) the city became, I wouldn’t say exclusive, but trendy, culturally speaking. It is very difficult to attend fashion shows in Paris or elsewhere.

In Hyères, the fashion shows and exhibitions are open to the public, amateurs, professional and passionate people who stand side by side without any problem. We owe that success to Jean-Pierre Blanc, the director of the Villa Noailles who built that project and carries it wonderfully and passionately.

When did you start getting interested in the festival ?

The festival started twenty-six years ago, and I have attended it every year since the beginning! Initially, the fashion shows

took place in the Anglican church in the centre of the city.

That spiritual place gave a very particular dimension to the event. Then there was the gigantism of the Espace 3000, the ‘cachet’ of the disused warehouse of a bus company. The giant tents on Place Clémenceau, the beach of l’Agayrade, and the intimacy of the porches in the centre of the city. Every year, the organization demonstrates a lot of ingenuity and tries to give a new breath to the background and mood of the festival, whilst the central point of the exhibitions and the meetings remain at the Villa Noailles.

I have always been attracted by the fashion world. When I was younger, I didn’t put posters or pictures of music bands or movie stars on my walls, but magazine covers, beautiful pictures of models and designer shows. So when I had to choose where to do my work experience during my studies, I naturally turned towards the festival, which in 1994 was called “Le Salon européen des jeunes stylistes”. Jean-Pierre Blanc hired me, and for four months I lived in a world I had dreamt of for a long time. The theme of my work experience was how to improve the budget of the festival.

But what most interested me was to get into the “heart” of the organization, being part of the team, following the project for four months, as closely as I could. The jury, the designers, the communication, the shows, the press, and the public relations. So many things to deal with to have a successful festival. For that 9th festival, there were twenty-one designers in competition, the president of the jury was Jean-charles de Castelbajac, at his side, there were about twenty professionals : Martin Margiela, Victoire de Castellane, Gilles Dufour, MarieSophie Wilson, and John Galliano ! At that time I wasn’t aware at all of that prestigious jury ! Pierre Hardy was in charge of the scenography of the shows.

I also have been surprised and very lucky to be part of the show as a model. A girl was missing, so a designer asked me if I could help and do the show for him. He’s the designer (Emmanuel Laurent) who won the award for the women’s collection.

It was a lot of fun because I had only one outfit, I was the only one hairdressers had the time to hairdress. Everyday, I had a different and very stylish hairstyle. It was the only time in my life I had such beautiful hairstyles. Being made up, hairdressed, dressed up by professionals : it changes everything and you simply can’t believe it ! I only have three bad-quality

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tiny photos that witness those magical moments. Someday I should try to get more, I guess there are some pictures in the archives… I loved that work experience ! And the jury felt it during my oral exam, because I hadn’t prepared my speech, but managed to stand in front of them for one hour, talking easily and passionately about what my work was during the festival. The jury liked my presentation, as I won the 3rd prize of the “Meilleur rapport de stage de la Fac” and the 1000 francs (about 150 euros) offered at that time.

This is my very modest “contribution” to the festival. It was a beautiful experience, I wish I had been part of it longer, but time flies, and I have been doing other things. I’d like to thank Jean-Pierre Blanc for allowing me to do that work experience.

Thanks to him, I could be part of a world that fascinated me.

Maybe someday, I’ll dare to knock at his door and work for real at the fashion and photography festival.

What do you like in that annual “rendez-vous” ?

The cosmopolitan mood, hearing people speak English, Italian, Japanese. And a little bit of French !

Seing people dressed in special looks, admiring the ideas of some artists and trying to understand those who are a little bit more nuts.

Coming accross people you are not used to seeing for real : Karl Lagerfeld, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix or John Nollet just in front of you, it doesn’t happen everyday, and I like it !

Meeting people like you, who are part of that world and share.

I like the main idea of the festival : showing young designers and photographers’ work.Here they have real professional opportunities. I also like that the capital of fashion moves to Hyères for a long weekend. The fashion world comes to the

south of France, they are barefoot in the sun, on the grass of the Villa Noailles (most of the time it’s the very first sunny days in the year). You almost feel like you are on holidays, and Summer is getting close…

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“The fashion world comes to the south of France, they are barefoot in the sun, on the grass of the Villa Noailles.

You almost feel like you are on holidays,

and Summer is getting close…”

MENTIONS LÉGALES Peut-Être Magazine 181-183 boulevard Voltaire 75011 Paris Nathalie Malric Clarice Chian Olivier Bousquet Jeremy Derny IMPRESSION Studio Pixart Srl Unipersonale Via Aquilonia, 4 interno 7 00177 ROMA RM ITALIA Paru avril 2012 Dépôt légal avril 2012 28,00 euros France Métropolitaine ISSN en cours

Kelsey Close in an Emilie Meldem wooden sticks outfit

CONTRIBUTORS

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR PHOTOGRAPHER Nathalie Malric FASHION AND LIFESTYLE WRITER EDITOR Clarice Chian GRAPHIC DESIGNER Olivier Bousquet WEBMASTER Nicolas Lussagnet SUBSCRIPTIONS OFFICE COORDINATION Jeremy Derny www.peutetremagazine.com contact@peutetremagazine.com WISH LIST Villa Noailles : www.villanoailles-hyeres.com Léa Peckre : leapeckre.tumblr.com Céline Méteil : celinemeteil.com Emilie Meldem : emiliemeldem.com Maryam Kordbacheh : www.maryamkordbacheh.com Juliette Alleaume & Marie Vial : www.avee.eu Michael Kampe : www.michaelkampe.com Charlötte Cargnello : www.charlottecargnello.com Oda Pausma : www.odapausma.com

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