Olivier Theyskens - Designer

La bordélique · Dec 24, 2007

fashionweekdaily.com

Talking to Theyskens

A fashion chit-chat at the French Institute
Monday, December 10, 2007

(NEW YORK) The crowd gathered at the French Institute Alliance Française Friday for the final installment of FIAF's "Fashion Talks" with Pamela Golbin and Nina Ricci's artistic director, Olivier Theyskens, included a slew of budding designers and die-hard Theyskens fans, not to mention members of the New York City Ballet and fashion stalwarts including Loulou de la Falaise, Barneys New York's Julie Gilhart, and the FIT's Valerie Steele.

"We've been stuck in traffic in a taxi and Olivier was just sewing a pearl onto my jacket," laughed Golbin, before beginning her interview with Theyskens, where everything from dropping out of fashion college to the transition from Rochas to Ricci was discussed by the designer, who had the crowd laughing with his insouciant humor and charm. Of his appointment as Nina Ricci's artistic director in 2006, Theyskens remarked, "It seemed that my aesthetic was matching some essence behind the brand. And there is some truth to the story that I was sketching a dress with little birds on it, thinking 'this is very Nina Ricci,' and then I got a call from the brand," the designer laughed. The fashion house, started in 1932, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, and Theyskens elaborated on the endurance of the label. "Unlike most French brands, which stopped for a while during the war, or for whatever other reasons, Nina Ricci has just kept going the entire time. It's like a neverending story--sometimes it was at the front of the scene, sometimes not, but it was always around."

As for the neverending story of the wunderkind designer--who turned 30 this year, which also marks his 10th anniversary in the fashion sphere--formal training wasn't necessarily the way forward. "There were no artistic people in my family, they were all into science, and no one had any respect for an artistic diploma, so no one was stressed about me leaving La Cambre [a prestigious Belgian arts college]. The only disaster was when I went to the school in the first place!" Theyskens, who started making clothes as soon as he left, gained recognition by sending look books of his designs around Paris, prompting such celebritites as Madonna to wear them. "I was ok about Madonna wearing my piece," he laughed. "I wasn't hysterical about it. I had a friend who was having a crisis over it! But it did make me feel more than satisfaction. I started thinking I was right to be making the choices I made."

As for the moniker Theyskens' early designs earned him, that of "Dark Prince of Belgian Goth," the designer explained, "I didn't even know anything about the Gothic movement. I thought they were referring to cathedrals! I like the idea of something being fragile and broken, I was speaking about sadness, happiness. Nostalgie, mélancholie, a mixture of emotions is very important to me." When Rochas, formerly a division of P&G, invited him to be head designer in 2002, it was exactly the right timing. "I do what I feel is right. Rochas had been closed for a long time and I wanted to create clothing that fit with the brand but also to make sure there was enough space for the creation of something new. After seven seasons, the house came to a close again, and I understood why. I personally was attracted to go on to another story; I didn't feel like I'd stay there for 20 years." Theyskens concluded by commenting on his design aesthetic. "It's interesting to get inspired by a precise thing and then to re-work it. When I design, I prefer to feel that what I'm doing has not been done yet."

A Q&A period followed Theyskens' interview, allowing the audience to ask everything ranging from how garments are quality controlled to how marketing and creativity work together to whether or not they could be considered for upcoming internships with the designer.

Q: Can you develop on your experience at La Cambre?
A: Quit! Sometimes I have impulsive reactions, and I felt very strongly that I have to go away from here. I wanted to quit and do clothes.

Q: Were your designs featured in a Smashing Pumpkins video?
A: Yeah. I loved Smashing Pumpkins and Billy Corgan's fantasy was connected to what I was doing.

Q: Has your idea of beauty evolved?
A: I have strong images of what I found beautiful as a kid and then there is the shock of everything I've found beautiful afterwards!

Q: How did you finance your first collection?
A: It's actually interesting because I'd collected so many materials over the years that I used everything I had. It was almost coming to the point where I had to take things from my family--like their sheets! I was lucky enough that my family could give me a little hand with things.

Q: What makes you happiest outside of fashion?
A: For me, everything outside of fashion makes me happy!

The evening ended with a cocktail reception on the French Institute's 8th floor. Guests not only got to nibble on cheese and crackers and mini pastries, they also got to take home a piece of Nina Ricci--and Theyskens--in the form of a sketch book filled with the designer's doodles.
JENNIFER BARTON

La bordélique · Dec 24, 2007

Smashing Pumpkins - "Stand Inside Your Love"

user · Dec 24, 2007

ahh, I love the Smashing Pumpkins and Olivier!! It makes perfect sense together.

educo · Dec 25, 2007

I was at that lecture!! He's really gorgeous in person. I sat behind Loulou!!

educo · Dec 25, 2007

Mutterlein said:
He was in NY recently for a talk at the Alliance Francaise with Pamela Goblin (if any of you were there I was the one that asked about the the Smashing Pumpkins music video )

I said hello briefly at the reception afterwards, he's really nice, very comfortable in his own skin, and is very savvy about fashion. They gave us sketchbooks with his own drawings printed in them. I'll scan and post a few if any of you are interested.

Oh I was there too!! I didn't know about the reception, I'm so sad I wasn't able to hand afterwards to receive the book!

Please scan the images, I'd love to see them!

kissmesweet · Dec 25, 2007

Q: How did you finance your first collection?
A: It's actually interesting because I'd collected so many materials over the years that I used everything I had. It was almost coming to the point where I had to take things from my family--like their sheets! I was lucky enough that my family could give me a little hand with things.

How cute!

It's sort of nice to hear that his family supports him and just how dedicated he really is.

gius · Dec 26, 2007

Funny how this thread started.. :ninja:

Anyway thank you for posting the nice interview
I'd love to see the sketchbook prints too
I wonder what he means about having quit La Cambre... Maybe he felt suppressed somehow there

like what I'm going through now -_-