{"id":5055,"date":"2024-11-14T09:30:53","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T08:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.lineapelle-fair.it\/?p=5055"},"modified":"2024-11-20T12:17:05","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T11:17:05","slug":"notre-dame-reopens-here-is-who-signed-the-priests-robes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.lineapelle-fair.it\/en\/trend-en\/notre-dame-reopens-here-is-who-signed-the-priests-robes\/","title":{"rendered":"Notre Dame reopens: here is who signed the priests’ robes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Notre Dame reopens, and the event becomes a ‘religiously fashionable’ occasion. The robes that the priests will wear for the first celebration were created by a French fashion icon, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. To him, the task of redesigning the sacred, after having given life – in his career – to the casual wor<\/strong><\/em>ld<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

by Domenico Casoria<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The robes <\/strong>worn by priests for the celebrations of the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral <\/strong>will bear the signature of Jean-Charles de Castelbajac<\/strong>. The over-70-year-old designer of noble origins is an icon in France. Throughout his career, he has helped create what we now call ‘casual<\/strong>‘, imprinting ever-changing characters and stories on clothes. A living legacy that continues to be a source of inspiration <\/strong>for young designers, from J.W. Anderson <\/strong>to Adrian Appiolaza<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Redesigning the sacred <\/strong><\/h3>\n

For the French clergymen’s cassocks<\/a>, de Castelbajac was guided by light<\/strong>, dwelling on the chromatic rhythm dictated by the gold of the stained glass windows. To highlight his signature style, he reproduced certain symbols – including the cross – in his own way, working closely with the craft workshops of Le19M<\/strong>, a creative hub sponsored by Maison Chanel<\/strong>. This is not the first time de Castelbajac has collaborated with an institution like the Church (he had already dressed the Pope for World Youth Day in 1997), but his approach has almost always been unique in the fashion world<\/strong>. It started with the use of primary colours<\/strong>, which he drew on medieval techniques and which had been denied him during his childhood spent in an anonymous boarding school. In 1977, <\/strong>he opened his first boutique in Tokyo, but it was with his collaborations related to the art world <\/strong>that he left his mark.<\/p>\n

Casual as we know it<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In 1974, the designer co-founded Iceberg <\/strong>with Giuliana Marchini <\/strong>and Silvio Gerani<\/strong>, combining the elegance of Italian fashion with a casual, sporty style. The brand’s aesthetic combined the pop world with Warner Bros. comics. Characters such as Bugs Bunny <\/strong>and Daffy Duck <\/strong>made it recognisable, bringing it closer to a younger target. Also, in the 1970s, he created the Sportmax line for Max Mara<\/strong><\/a>, which revolutionised the way of dressing in those years. He added bright colours and bold shapes to the collection, which was inspired by American-style sportswear and Swinging London. Over the decades, he collaborated with brands such as Courr\u00e8ges<\/strong>, Rossignol<\/strong>, Le Coq Sportif <\/strong>and Benetton<\/strong>, for which he was artistic director until 2018.<\/p>\n

A continuous story <\/strong><\/h3>\n

The lesser-known side of Jean-Charles de Castelbajac is, however, the one that has most impressed the imagination of the new generation of designers<\/strong>. Among his distinctive features, storytelling through clothes has always been at the forefront. From minidresses with the likenesses of fairytale characters to suits reproducing famous paintings. A narrative capacity <\/strong>similar to that which today brings J.W. Anderson, who has repeatedly painted secret gardens, animals or flowers for Loewe<\/strong>, as well as accessories that seem to be alive. Or that of Adrian Appiolaza, who, for Moschino, <\/strong>paints on clothes and bags as if on a blank canvas. In short, a childlike, personal, instinctive, and, above all, real way of communicating.<\/p>\n

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