Ask Jacquemus
French brand Jacquemus (pronounced Jah-kuh-moos) its designer and namesake Simon Porte Jacquemus burst onto the fashion scene, launching his label in 2009 and quickly finding his place nestled among the most prestigious labels in the world, if you don’t recognise the name you will recognise his viral handbags Le Chiquito and Bambino, even if its a pastel coloured imitation, of which there are many.
During the menswear shows last month in Paris, Jacquemus held a mixed gender show for his Spring Summer 2026 collection, its a move many luxury brands are moving towards, in the interest of both cost cutting, inclusivity and because often both the mens and women collections have such a synergy it makes creative sense to see them both side by side, instead of months apart.
His latest collection “Le Paysan” (The peasant) was a very personal homage to his humble roots in Provence where his families on both sides were vegetable farmers. The inspiration was seen in the pinafore front shirts, tabard style dresses each in humble cotton poplin and linen, the construction however was pure luxury.
So why am I giving you the lowdown on a designer collection that isn’t available until early 2026? Because this range was debuted in June its in perfect time for us to take inspiration from his masterclass in wearing white for this summer. White can be the epitome of elegance, and while I wouldn’t say there are rules to that being the case there are ways of elevating white that Jacquemus executed perfectly, starting with Layering.
Layering for summer isn’t about stacking on clothes for warmth, summer layers are to add interest, proportion and texture. Separates are the easiest way to achieve this, layering white on white can be as simple as a sheer white organza layer over a simple slip dress, or a transparent blouse with wide white trousers, Play with volume and proportion by wearing an oversized white shirt over a long sheer white skirt. Adding texture to make white look super glossy is another lesson Jacquemus teaches us, his collection of white included tonal dots, white on white jacquard and lace as well as embellishment such as pearls and tassels.
Head to The Frankie Shop for inspiration on how to make sheer white wearable, Marks and Spencers have a white organza shirt and Lily Silk have done the layering part you, as have Rise & Fall. Nobody’s child have their white Jax trousers in crepe, Na-kd have a white satin midi skirt and Whistles have a great shapes oversized white shirt that’s also available in petite. White on white will take you right through to next summer, just ask Jacquemus.
