CEDRIC CHARLIER CRASH 51

By Crash redaction

AFTER TESTING HIS STYLE IN THE STUDIOS OF SEVERAL PRESTIGIOUS LABELS, FROM CÉLINE TO LANVIN, CÉDRIC CHARLIER HAS NOW PICKED UP THE REIGNS OF CACHAREL, WHERE HE WAS RECENTLY NAMED CREATIVE DIRECTOR. ARMED WITH A FRESH AND INSPIRED IDEA OF THE BRAND AND APPRECIATIVE OF SARAH MOON’S WORK, HE HAD THE CHANCE TO GIVE HIS INTERPRETATION OF THE FAMOUS PRINTS WITH HIS FIRST COLLECTION, UPDATING THE COMPANY’S CODES IN HIS SEARCH TO CREATE SOMETHING NEW.

HOW DID YOUR CAREER GO BEFORE CACHAREL?

I arrived in Paris when I was twenty, and I’m thirty-one now. On the way I passed through Cambre in Brussels, where I participated in a competition for young Belgian designers, sponsored by LVMH. I won first place, which got me into Céline with Michael Kors. I started as an intern, then they hired me. I worked with him in his team for two years. After that, I wanted to move to a more intimate setting. I soon met Jean-Paul Knott, and later worked with him on several projects. Then came big fashion moment: Lanvin with Alber Elbaz. It lasted six years: a true collaboration.

WHAT DID YOU KEEP WITH YOU FROM YOUR COLLABORATION WITH ALBER ELBAZ?

It was a really great experience, and very intense. It will stay ingrained in my memory because Alber is a true genius. He’s something like a philosopher of fashion, someone whom you can’t easily figure out. With him, nothing was taken for granted, everything was constantly analyzed. He taught me a lot of things. What I’ll especially keep with me is the concept of respecting women, making them look their best. The dress has to enhance the woman, not the contrary. It was also interesting to see the American influence on his mind, because he worked for a long time across the Atlantic. It was fun to see how he could twist and turn all the codes that, to me, seemed set in stone. Above all else, he showed me how important it is to trust your instincts – a lesson I’m trying to put into practice today.

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED CREATING YOUR OWN BRAND?

I haven’t wanted to do it yet, especially since, today, it’s a tough thing to do… But you never know!

HOW DID YOUR MEETING WITH MR. BOUSQUET COME ABOUT?

Mr. Bousquet wanted to renew Cacharel. He’s a unique individual: he founded a firm, where he’s still present and perfectly aware of everything that goes on and how things are done. Right away we agreed on the idea of a certain modernity combined with simplicity. From my end, I talked to him about an immediate interpretation of clothing and nonchalance over romanticism.

WHAT DOES CACHAREL MEAN FOR YOU?

Thousands of things. When I arrived here, I had in mind the work of Sarah Moon, who, for me, was extremely powerful, very mysterious and audacious. Her photographs are all over my office, they surround me. I wanted to stay within the same universe. It’s very important for me to respect the spirit of the company. I found it more interesting to immerse myself in the mystery of her shots, because the spirit is in dream: it’s dream in reality or reality in dream. That’s where I started, from an atmosphere, an ambience, a certain woman, more than a detailed exploration of archives.

LIKE GUY BOURDIN WITH CHARLES JOURDAN, SARAH MOON IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO CACHAREL. WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO BRING TO THE LABEL?

I first started thinking about the idea of the print: what’s the point of its existence? It’s a story that we wear, in a certain sense. Even if it’s a two- dimensional image that we transpose into three dimensions, I like the idea of trying not to immobilize things. In general, the print imposes itself like the finish of a building, because what we retain is, above all, the print. For the first season, I wanted to reinforce this view of the garment: as a kind of architecture that I hope looks nice. I told myself that if I managed to bring out that aspect, the collection would perhaps take on a more contemporary look.

WHAT CHALLENGE HAVE YOU SET FOR YOURSELF AT CACHAREL?

My goal is, quite simply, to reinvigorate a taste for clothing. I don’t think there’s just one Cacharel woman today, in the same way that there isn’t just one Saint Laurent woman, for example. In any case, I absolutely do not want any dictatorial power. Maybe that was interesting in the past, but now the times have changed, in my opinion. On the other hand, I’m convinced that every woman has Cacharel moments throughout the day.

WHEN WALKING AROUND IN PARIS OR WHILE TRAVELLING, DO YOU EVER NOTICE CERTAIN DETAILS THAT INSPIRE YOU?

Absolutely; it’s a great exercise. I really like being able to sit at a café, or anywhere, and observe. It’s even better abroad, because we’re more receptive. They’re souls that we see walking about, individuals with advantages and flaws. The latter teach me a lot and are often surprising. These inspirations are little extras that I especially appreciate. They could be the springboard to a whole collection, even if that has yet to be the case for me.

DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION IN OTHER FIELDS, LIKE FILM OR ART?

I go antiquing a lot. A lot of things interest me; currently it’s painting, especially female portraits, as they’re each different. Outsider art and more naïve works intrigue me. I go all over to find them, to unimaginable places! To the flea market, of course, but not only there. At the moment I go to London a lot, where the energy is great. I like the city’s multicultural aspect and its lack of pretension. It’s very pleasant. In addition, music is indispensable, and I need it permanently: for example, I listen to The Hours, Florence and the Machine… I discovered her about a year and a half ago, when she opened a really small concert given by MGMT at the Bataclan. I was stunned by her voice, her hair… I love her videos. I go through waves like that. I can equally enjoy Kate Bush or Tori Amos. Music, the power of sound inspires me a lot, whether I’m at home or at work: I put it on so loud that they hear it downstairs. My team is young, and we’re serious enough as it is!