Jude Ferrari of Maison J. Simone: “I strive to make the absurd chic”

After unveiling a few collections, noticed from the United States to Japan, oscillating between kitsch aesthetics of the 1970s and offbeat references in homage to pop culture, Jude Ferrari received sponsorship from the Swarovski brand during his last year of studies. at Central St. Martins.

And if the model student could well have envisaged a career by joining the biggest fashion houses, Jude has always endeavored to develop her own vision of clothing, always with a touch of humor and eccentricity. Today, she is working on the new Maison J. Simone collection, scheduled for summer 2022, between her showroom in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris and her couture workshop in Boulogne-Billancourt. Meet.

Who is behind the Maison J. Simone brand?

Jude Ferrari- My name is Jude, I’m 26 for a few more days. I was educated in London at Central Saint Martins. I’ve always loved creating new things. I’ve always had a bit of a quirky look in my hometown and I think part of me likes the disconnect between my look and that city. In a few words, the person behind the Maison J. Simone brand likes to express himself with funny clothes.

What does it mean for you to be a fashion designer in 2022?

I don’t know if that necessarily means having your own brand, but in any case, it means creating things that inspire and wanting to dress others. Seeing his clothes worn is a bit like seeing his paintings exhibited for a painter.

Tell us about this sponsorship with Swarovski.

It was during my senior year at Central Saint Martins. I had sent them my graduation project to ask them for support, they finally helped me with crystals that they no longer used. This allowed me to bring a very luxurious touch to my clothes.

What aesthetics do you strive to give to your creations?

I like to work on fairly refined pieces. I do a lot of work with Smog – it’s a time consuming seam. In my collections, there is always a twist of humor. For me, dressing is also experimenting, standing out. In a way, I strive to make the absurd chic.

How would you describe your inspirations? We particularly feel a “cowboy” inspiration in your Fuego collection.

The cowboy side comes back every time. I wanted to give a little macho side to the woman. The Fuego collection is in a way a tribute to Guadalupe, the Mexican Virgin Mary. She is super eccentric, full of colors. I’m mostly inspired by people, whether they’re fictional or not. The first collection I imagined was on my father, the second on the Virgin Mary, the third on people who go to the Neuilly-sur-Seine market. It’s really the human that inspires me.

How do you view craftsmanship as a young designer?

I think that’s the essence of luxury. Luxury is not only black clothes, presented in dark places. It’s not just tailors. It can also be funny things, full of patterns. What matters most is the human side and the way the clothes have been designed. It’s important to pay attention to a garment in the same way as to a piece of jewelry. It has to tell a story.

The mask has now become a fairly strong symbol in fashion. What does he represent for you?

At the very beginning, he portrayed a superhero character, it had nothing to do with politics. It was to talk about the garment that becomes, once worn, a kind of superpower. Sometimes I also use it to focus on the garment rather than the model.

Some of your pieces come from upcycling. Is the idea of ​​“responsible fashion” important to you?

There are at least 30% in my collections. Before, upcycling was seen as something incompatible with having talent. Today, it’s much more valued, because people finally understood that there was a message behind it all.

What do you think of the omnipotence of Instagram in the world of fashion?

It is both heaven and hell. It’s great because it can help to get known. It is also a great working tool. But on the other hand, their algorithm is so complicated to satisfy that it sometimes becomes unbearable. I think that for a good part of my sales, I am subject to this network. So I have to keep using it.