“In the collective unconscious, leather is a protective material, for historical reasons. It is the oldest material that man has ever used to dress and protect himself. Therefore, leather is essential for a creative response”. Words by Jean-Claude Jitrois, 77 years old. The designer returned to Paris fashion Week, from where he had been missing since 2017. He created the latest collection with his friend Caroline Gaspard, creator of Akillis jewellery house.
Leather is essential
A collection “comfortable and versatile, in the true sense of the word, fluid and within everyone’s reach. I’m targeting a younger clientele,” said Jitrois. He is the designer who launched stretch leather in 1995. Matthieu Bobard Deliere from Elle (from the website comes the screenshot in the photo, on the left) asks him: “When veganism and eco-responsible fashion gain ground, how do you imagine the future of leather?”.
Here is Jitrois’ answer: “First of all, our production is hyper-responsible. Leather, in fact, is the oldest and most prestigious waste recovery channel in the world. Obviously, we only use leathers from food consumption. We are also the polar opposite of fast fashion: we create garments made to last, to be handed down. Leather and technology go hand in hand: after discovering elasticised leather, I am following the promising developments in stem cell leather very closely. Cultivating authentic leather will be wonderful. We have a leather that is called vegan, but which is fake”.
The running of time
Jitrois is a psychologist and psycho-motorist. In the 1970s, he headed university departments and specialised colleges. And when he is called to answer on the current times, he says: “Anxiety is the engine of the cure.
Fear is useless, it produces nothing. We are afraid of something that has not happened, it is a fantasy. We are not in the Middle Ages and it is not the plague: I trust science. The context keeps me going, it stimulates me”.
Right in the photo, image from jitrois.com
Read also:
- “Eco-leather is just a terrific marketing expedient”, says popstars’ fashion designer Jean-Claude Jitrois
- Eco alternatives are no better than leather: and science says so
