Julie de Libran
French fashion designer
Biography
Julie de Libran was Miuccia Prada’s key player for a decade, before moving on to work with Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton for some 5 years. Prior to these positions Julie had worked for big names such as Gianfranco Ferre, Gianni Versace and Jean Charles de Castelbajac, before taking the helm at the legendar Maison Rykiel. She went on to launch her own brand in July 2019.
She sees the future for the luxury sector as ‘slow’ in the sense of sustainable. She is a member of the Fashion Syndicate and presents her collections during the haute-couture fashion week. She redefines the most versatile of all women’s clothing, namely the dress, exploring all its possibilities : crossover, pleated, split, embroidered, iridescent … and always in carefully chosen exclusive and exceptional fabrics. Julie de Libran knows the best weavers and where to find small remnants that she can use, left behind by major brands.
As well as her haute couture creations, she designs pieces in limited, numbered series. This year she has worked with Eres, Goosens et Charvet, on capsule collections, to celebrate their skills and craftsmanship, and in the same spirit she has been part of the Carte Blanche venture with Gien.
Q&A with Julie de Libran
WHY DID YOU ACCEPT THIS CARTE BLANCHE WITH FAÏENCERIE DE GIEN
FOR ITS BICENTENARY ?
I grew up with Gien earthenware, I have always admired this French know-how and craftsmanship. My creations are fashion, couture, jewelry, but I’m very sensitive to my environment, French art de vivre, and I am increasingly interested in the creation of decorative surroundings. It is a way for me to express my visual esthetics through a new vehicle.
WHAT INSPIRATIONS HAVE YOU DRAWN ON FOR THIS VENTURE ?
I wanted to involve my animal artist cousin, Aurelien Raynaud, to create synergy and a mix of inspirations. It is the first time we have worked in tandem. I saw that our diverse creative worlds could bring something different and unusual to this 200th anniversary of the Faïencerie de Gien. I love creating a mix of different worlds.
HOW DID YOU APPROACH THE TECHNICAL CHALLENGE OF EARTHENWARE AND FAÏENCERIE KNOW-HOW ?
On a technical level, it was a question of adapting a manikin bust I use, to a vase or plate. I wanted to produce something offbeat with a connection to my creative world, couture. I also wanted to incorporate Aurelien’s very visually striking handmade sculptures.
WHILST YOU WERE WORKING ON THIS CARTE BLANCHE, HOW DID THE WORLD OF DECORATION AND TABLEWARE RESONATE WITH YOUR OWN
WORLD ?
I work in this world every day, it is my world, it is all around me.
WHAT HAS STAYED WITH YOU THE MOST, OF THIS EXPERIENCE ?
It has been an unusual creative exercise, for a remarkable house with two centuries of history and skills, and I am both thrilled and grateful to have been a part of the project.
