Notre Dame cathedral in Paris reopened on December 7, five years after the serious fire that destroyed part of it. The opening ceremony, which consisted of a mass attended by leaders from all over the world, was as close as one could get to a fashion show. Indeed, the archbishop and priests wore haute couture cassocks designed by French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, who in his long career invented the Italian casual style.
Redesigning the sacred
To imagine the robes of French priests, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac took inspiration from the light and colours of the stained glass windows of Notre Dame: blue, red, yellow and green which return, in this case, on the cassocks in the form of fragments. To highlight his signature style, he reproduced certain symbols – including the cross – in his own way, working closely with the craft workshops of Le19M, a creative hub sponsored by Maison Chanel. However, this was not the first time the designer collaborated with the Church. In 1977, for instance, he dressed the Pope for World Youth Day.
Who is de Castelbajac
The name may seem unfamiliar to most, but the designer is a prominent figure in the international fashion scene. In 1974, de Castelbajac co-founded Iceberg with Giuliana Marchini and Silvio Gerani, combining the elegance of Italian fashion with casual style. Also in the 1970s, he created the Sportmax line for Max Mara. Over the decades he has collaborated with brands such as Courrèges, Rossignol, Le Coq Sportif and Benetton.
His signature style
De Castelbajac is a symbol for today’s fashion system. “The lesser known side of the designer is the one that has most impressed the imagination of the new generation of designers”, Lineapelle Magazine points out. “Among his distinctive features, storytelling through clothes has always been at the forefront, from minidresses with the likenesses of fairytale characters to suits reproducing some famous paintings. His narrative ability is a source of inspiration for J.W. Anderson at Loewe or Adrian Appiolaza at Moschino”. In other words, de Castelbajac didn’t just help create new trends, adapt fashion to pop culture, or create collaborations with famous artists like Keith Haring. He invented a new way of communicating with clothes, and the fashion show (event) staged at Notre Dame is proof of that.
Images from Notre Dame and JC de Castelbajac’s profiles
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