What if the best age was 24? It is in any case that of all possibilities for Charles de Vilmorin, who launched a brand in his name in April 2020 – in full confinement – and presented his first collection as artistic director of the Rochas house on September 29, during Paris Fashion Week, from September 27 to October 5.
A frenzy that does not frighten the young man, as the desire for creation has been itching for a long time. “I have loved drawing since childhood and have always been drawn to fashion. I knew very early on that I would make it my job “, he tells us on the terrace of a café, a few days before the launch of the spring-summer 2022 collections.
Determined, he has the chance to do his class of 3 internshipe with Alber Elbaz at Lanvin. Then trained at the School of the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture in Paris, which he joined as soon as he obtained his baccalaureate, it was with the tools of his generation that he made himself known. Once graduated, in spring 2020, he indeed regularly posts drawings and images of his colorful creations with accentuated volumes on his Instagram account and is quickly spotted by a collector – whose anonymity is well kept – who buys a large part of his his graduation collection.
“It came at the right time because I was looking for houses to get an internship. I was thus able to finance the production of my first collection. “ Theatrical, his first creations dare the garish colors, the disproportionate volumes on jackets or bombers, the naive prints on large dresses, while his second collection, presented in July during the week of couture, took the opposite view by declining totally black silhouettes, punctuated with bursts of sober colors. “ I try to tell a story to each of my collections, to have a narration that unfolds as the silhouettes progress. I like to think that my universe is quite poetic and dreamlike. ”
Long floaty dresses and pant sets
Very quickly spotted by those who make careers in this environment, Charles de Vilmorin was, in 2021, a finalist for two of the greatest fashion awards: the Pierre Bergé de l’Andam prize and the LVMH prize. But above all, he was offered the post of artistic director of the Rochas house in February, following the departure of the Italian Alessandro Dell’Acqua. “ It has always been one of my biggest dreams to take over an old house with a rich and long history, to bring modernity to it while reinterpreting its codes. “
A dream come true, which the young Charles de Vilmorin expressed during his very first parade without an interposed screen, on September 29 in the Mona Bismarck mansion, in the 16e arrondissement. “ I did a bit of modeling during my studies, so I knew the adrenaline rush of backstage at a fashion show, but it’s obviously different this time around. “
On his catwalk, we find his favorite prints, naive colored or black and white designs representing flowers or hearts, available on long vaporous dresses, evening trouser sets adorned with gold inserts, shirt dresses with finely crafted sleeves, or large airy petticoats. A fresh look at the Rochas house, founded in Paris in 1925. Charles de Vilmorin’s great-aunt, Louise de Vilmorin’s literary woman, was used to it.
