Charles de Vilmorin: the colorful creator
Right from the start, Charles de Vilmorin imposed a unique, multidimensional vision of fashion. At just 23 years of age, he launched his own brand and was noticed for his hand-painted designs, with their theatrical volumes and vibrant colors. Inspired by the world of Tim Burton and the performing arts, he developed a style where fashion dialogues with drawing, music and the stage. His singular approach quickly won over enthusiasts and major Home brands alike, establishing his presence on the Parisian scene.
An ANDAM finalist, invited to parade at Haute Couture week, his talent opens the doors to a wide range of collaborations, from Galeries Lafayette to 24S (Home of the LVMH Group), via the artistic direction of Rochas. Beyond fashion, his approach is multidisciplinary, combining drawings, costumes and immersive installations. Five years after launching his brand, he continues to explore these multiple facets with an ever more assertive freedom.
An instinctive, theatrical style
Refusing to conform to academic shackles, he reinvented his own apprenticeship at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, then the Institut Français de la Mode: "I kind of reappropriated the Chambre's learning process; the teachers gave me a lot of freedom in my design", he explains. As soon as he finished his studies, chance put a collector in his path, who acquired a large part of his graduation collection of psychedelic bombers, enabling him to finance his first collection. "I had the collection and photos done just before confinement, so during it I was frustrated but wanted the collection properly", he recalls. In the meantime, he created masks from his prints, an initiative that met with unexpected success ultimately serving as an entrance to an audience that offered him great success in exiting containment and launching his collection.
The soul of his brand? The designer asserts an aesthetic that's both exuberant and contrasting, oscillating between explosions of color and deep black silhouettes:"I love contradiction, I love working with colorful elements as much as entirely black silhouettes, there's a 'character' side to it that I love", he explains. His designs in flou / soft dressmaking and ultra soft draping / flou, dramatic and rich, are thought for those "who aren't afraid to stand out". This instinctive approach allows her to freely explore her creative language and give birth to pieces halfway between art and fashion, increasingly veiling their boundaries.
A strong identity through a thread of collaborations
"I always knew I wanted to be a designer, and it was a dream I was lucky enough to realize quite quickly", confides the designer. Indeed, Charles de Vilmorin's career has been marked by a meteoric rise. A finalist for the prestigious ANDAM prize in 2021, barely a year after launching his brand, he was invited by Jean-Paul Gaultier to present his first Haute Couture collection, a consecration that confirmed his status as a designer to watch. "It was a really crazy moment, in one year there were so many things", he recounts, still impressed by the speed of events. Then appointed artistic director of Rochas, he discovered another facet of the profession, that of managing a historic Home, with its constraints and demands.
This stint at Rochas enabled him to strengthen his own vision by returning to his personal brand, while further developing his ability to create for others, to tell other stories. Since then, he has multiplied his collaborations: "I'm lucky enough to have a universe based on my drawings, which can be transcribed onto a whole range of media. For example, last year with Moët & Chandon, I redecorated an entire restaurant (....) with Galeries Lafayette there was a theatrical side to it that I really loved", he confides about his work on window displays on an international scale, revealing his love for immersive, living worlds. His connection with music and the stage is also essential: he imagines costumes and collaborates with artists and musicians, finding in music an echo to his own creative sensibility.
An essential dialogue between designer and craftsman
Always aware of the importance of artisanal savoir-faire, he makes it a point of honor to work closely with exceptional contract manufacturers and craftsmen. "I've always liked the crafty side, I'm going to be much more sensitive when I feel the "hand" than the perfect side. Others already do it very well, I want something more organic for my pieces", he asserts. His commitment to artisans is fundamental to his approach, with each collection an opportunity to push the boundaries of savoir-faire: "We push them (artisans and contract manufacturers) to their limits with our ideas, and they love it! (...) they also bring us a lot ", he stresses, emphasizing the creative role of the dialogue between designer and craftsman. "In the word artisan there is artist, and it's this touch of madness mixed with technique that makes their work so fascinating! ", he says, "in particular, we found on the platform (of the Maison du Savoir-Faire et de la Design) the talented artisans who were able to retranscribe my designs in 3D with different savoir-faire".
Today, Charles de Vilmorin is moving forward with a more considered approach. When he talks about responsible fashion, he expresses that:"when I talk about it with my entourage, other young designers, there's no choice but to be responsible. We never over-produce, we produce exactly what we sell, we take a lot from dead stocks. For young designers, I think it's more of a given than a thought".
Bolstered by these experiences, Charles de Vilmorin remains true to his instincts, oscillating between exceptional craftsmanship and a contemporary approach. On the eve of his brand's anniversary fashion show, he confides: "I want to do a beautiful, very sincere show that will draw a little inspiration from what I've done so far. Personal and true to the brand's image, while always pushing the envelope". Between personal challenges and artistic experimentation, he continues to blaze his own trail, proving that fashion, above all, is a space for freedom and constant reinvention.
