Belgian fashion designer Jean-Paul Lespagnard presented his ‘Cheese on Fleek’ collection at Paris Fashion Week. The models took to the catwalk in an unconventional manner: the show offered a sort of compromise between a catwalk show, a presentation and an installation. An even less traditional detail was a brand-new Jaguar XE, specially draped for Jean-Paul Lespagnard in the collection’s flagship color,
Acid Green
took pride of place on the stage.
The genesis of his brand new collection ‘Cheese on Fleek’ has accents of pure poetry: “A young girl lives a solitary existence in the Mexican countryside as a Mennonite. The only time she goes to the city of Monterrey is to sell the cheese her family produces. On one of her tours, she met a group of Cholombianos at a crossroads, a local subculture characterized by particular dress codes, eccentric hairstyles and a fascination with the popular South American rhythmic music of Cumbia. Together, they decided to found a clan of cheese sellers, which gave rise to an organic sartorial mix. The elegant cut of the country clothes is unstructured, with loose-fitting cuts to better suit urban life.”
The collection features classic fabrics such as cotton, silk and wool, but also more technical materials, with structured reliefs and energetic patterns. The combination of the two subcultures and their opposing sartorial traditions creates a special relationship where colors oscillate between rigor and rebellion – the true spirit of the Jaguar XE, according to Jean-Paul Lespagnard.
Jean-Paul Lespagnard as Forward Thinker of the Jaguar XE
As part of an international campaign
FEEL XE,
Calling on ambassadors from disciplines such as music, film, design and business, Jean-Paul Lespagnard threw himself into the project by revisiting the classic dark green “Jaguar Racing Green” body color, updating it to a contemporary, punchier hue. He explains enthusiastically: “I put my heart and soul into my collections and only choose projects that really speak to me. When Jaguar asked me to become an ambassador for the new Jaguar XE, I didn’t hesitate for a second. The Jaguar story has almost mythical proportions for me. I think it’s a perfect example of classicism with a modern twist: an intense driving experience and attractive design with a rich history in the background.”He continues: “When I took a closer look at the core values of the Jaguar brand, I realized that over the years, the brand has constantly sought the balance between traditional ultra-British values and the desire to step out of the box. I interpreted this arabesque in my own, somewhat extravagant way, when creating a new, contemporary variant of the “Jaguar Green” color. With this transition, I’ve given new impetus to tradition, which is ready to face the future. For me, the new Jaguar XE in Acid Green is the ultimate driving experience. My customized version embodies, both in the collection and in real life, what I call Exaltation, an intense moment of excitement and joy.”
Unique natural integration into the fashion collection
Isabelle Michiels, PR Manager Jaguar Land Rover Belux, is on cloud nine: “We are very proud of this unique natural integration of the Jaguar XE into the collection of one of the most promising Belgian designers of the moment. From the start of the project, Jean-Paul Lespagnard was totally fascinated by the Jaguar XE.
how we’ve combined our rich past with Jaguar’s progressive vision in this new model. At the presentation of the Jaguar XE in London last September, we took a trip back in time and showed how Jaguar has drawn on the past to prepare the Jaguar XE for the future. The new part of the story that Jean-Paul Lespagnard has created is simply magnificent. The story behind this collection is so exciting, it embodies the FEEL XE concept to perfection.”
International campaign
FEEL XE
Last September, Jaguar launched the international campaign
FEEL XE
campaign around the new Jaguar XE
ii
. The XE is a sports sedan that stands out in its class thanks to its unique design and unrivalled innovations, offering handling, road control and performance that push the limits. Jean-Paul Lespagnard, Idris Elba, Stella McCartney and Emeli Sandé, among others, have been invited to become Forward Thinkers, as they innovate in their fields and break with tradition in their quest for the “new”. Exhileration – an intense moment of excitement and joy. Later in the year, Yuri
Vandenbogaerde and Dries Henau, the entrepreneurial duo behind Wasbar, will present their own project as part of this ambassador campaign. The Jaguar XE will be available from June 11, 2015. Prices start from 34,990 euros.
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