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The Maturing of Charles De Vilmorin

Focus

By Paul McLauchlan

Charles de Vilmorin found himself at a pivotal moment in his career. He had exited Rochas following a two-year stint as creative director. With his namesake label back on the Haute Couture calendar after a yearlong hiatus, the 26-year-old designer has reasserted himself with a declaration of maturity. For his first runway show, he has channeled his time at Rochas, where he learned about tailoring, fabrication, and production, into his most tightly edited collection to date.

The newfound sophistication is apparent from the opening looks: a passage of all-white to serve as a palette cleanser or, as de Vilmorin put it, “the blank page” that one is presented at the beginning of the creative process. Of course, his predilection for colour and volume has not slipped into the ether, even as he matures as a designer. His eye for colour, his signature painterly brushstrokes, and outsize proportions defined the middle portion of the collection. He tied this new tale of creation together with a procession of all-black looks that revealed his improving tailoring prowess.

“When you think of me, you can imagine big dresses and painted colours, but I wanted to show something very precise,” said de Vilmorin from his Paris apartment. 

 

Can you tell us about the collection?

The collection is about the pressure of creation. It opens with some white looks like the blank pages at the start of creation when you’re unsure about what direction you will head in. They’re followed by some very colourful, voluminous looks—something a bit more crazy. The finale is full black, it’s very couture! 

 

What part of the creation process excites you most? 

The freedom to create without limits in couture. 

 

How has your process changed over the years?

This is a more mature collection from me. Of course, I need to show the more extravagant looks in the middle of the show but I wanted to show that I can do real clothes with perfect techniques. [The last two years at Rochas] helped me a lot in this collection because I know how to ask myself the right questions to understand the most important points and details that I need to put on different looks and to create the flow of the collection.

 

When developing the collection, how much are you thinking about its commerciality? 

Not at all because it’s couture. I wanted to show real clothes but it’s not a commercial collection.

 

This interview has been lightly edited.

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