Jacquemus has never even had the slightest of potential to be good, as far as I'm concerned.
It's a brand catering to Instagram on-trend sensibilities, nothing more. The brand has absolutely nothing to do with artistry, integrity and the highest of standards that is reserved and expected of a high fashion brand. If I’m being kind and overly-generous, it’s a brand that’s the equivalent of what Alexander Wang was at its most popular. No one expects these trendy brands to last, and Jacquemus will never have any lasting impression, and easily forgotten in fashion once it’s no longer trending. But sadly, this brand and its success is what best represents the business-model that the new generation of “designers” strive to achieve: Rich and famous celebrity-designer churning out trendy, nondescript fast-fashions for 15yos raised on Insta and the desperately-seeking-to-be-relevent middle-age gayz that need a Jacquenus-logo bucket hat. These fair-weather customers will dump him once there’s a new trendy brand to move on to.
Very few talents possess the creative vision, along with the masterful technical execution of Gaultier/McQueen/Galliano. Even during their era of highest of standards, they were unmatched. And even personal favs Helmut/Tom Ford/Hedi/Miuccia didn’t and couldn’t compare to these fashion visionaries in terms of extraordinary artistic vision beyond fashion. Once their thickly-veiled theatrical, cinematic presentations were stripped away from the actual designs, these designs remained gorgeous garments that stood on their own merits. Those of us fortunate, and extremely privileged to have experienced such a diverse roster of talents— from the ones mentioned, along with the likes of Dries,Tisci,Theyskens, Yohji, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, Rei etc that all managed to produce highly creative, artistic and timelessly inspiring imagery, some the equivalent of fine art of the fashion world, along with equally, tirelessly influential fashions, is what deserves the status of a “good fashion brand”. They have maintained that highest of standards for decades that any of the new generation of designers have yet to reach.
(It’s telling how such a talent as Haider Ackermann is struggling in these lesser times dominated by such mediocrity. He is, by all means, too good for this era.)