By Lily Templeton

A jumble of immaculate parasols and other beach-side paraphernalia occupied much of the vast space in which Simon Porte Jacquemus was set to show his summer 2015 collection. Had a gust of wind unexpectedly thrown his set topsy-turvy? Or was it last night’s throes of passion? The latter was the more plausible scenario, if the smug grins and lank hair were anything to go by. In this walk of shame(less), the Jacquemus girls purloined whatever was on hand to make themselves presentable after this waterfront tryst. If that meant cutting up the striped canvas of deck chairs, then so be it.

So there they went, these unusual beach babes decked in beach attendant whites, or hastily reassembled combinations of bikini tops, white shirts and striped skirts. It worked best when he played with asymmetries, using the skin as a prolongation of material, giving the elements space to breathe. A yellow and white mini-dress with a funnel neck had a retro kick to it that made it endearing, while an oversize jacket had matched up seams that spoke of a rigorous approach to realization.

What makes the young self-taught French designer so personable is the enthusiasm he puts into his collections, as well as a certain untrained fearlessness. As seasons go by, Jacquemus pushes himself increasingly further in his exploration of the female silhouette. With his lack of formal training, his experiments fall necessarily outside of the usual garment boxes. It still feels refreshing, but moving forward, there needs to be more to his story than catchy narratives and stylist-friendly choices.