Meet the designers putting our grandparents in leather and spikes
This is A HOT MINUTE WITH, a quick-fire interview series championing all the rising talent catapulting into fashion, art and music’s fickle stratosphere. From pinch-me moments to bad dates and even worse chat-up lines, think of it as an overindulgent conversation – like the ones you have in sticky club toilets at 4.A.M. Except these guests don’t regret the overshare…
Courtesy of @egon_lab
NAME Kévin Nompeix & Florentin Glémarec of EGONLAB.
AGE 27 and 25
LOCATION Paris, France
STAR SIGNS Taurus and Virgo
BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED I come from Bordeaux and people from there say, “You are not Parisian, you will not be a designer.” My mother would reply, “Never give up, if you’re going to be a designer, you’ll be a designer.” And I think that’s the best – don’t give up.
For Kévin Nompeix and Florentin Glémarec of EGONlab., the Parisian brand dedicated to supporting social movements, conversation and self-love, the trick to understanding our future is looking back at our past. Inspired by all forms of revolution, their designs are amalgamations of various historical eras and artistic references tied together by the brand’s innate understanding of tailoring and design.
Although you may not recognise the dynamic design duo themselves, you’ll probably recognise Florentin’s grandparents. Papped around fashion week, the octogenarians turned Parisian streets into their own catwalks with looks that went from spiked, full black-leather get-up to monochrome cream and red suits with matching knee-high, lace-up boots. The excitement on their faces when I ask about how this came about was endearing: the pair are clearly dedicated to honouring their roots and family in their successes.
While IRL catwalks were absent again this season, the launch of their latest collection, aptly titled Horror Story, was a showcase of refined tailoring and graphical prints - sans grandparents. Following the collection’s release and in the footsteps of a recent Asics collaboration, we spoke to the design duo on their inspirations, style, and the ups and downs of working with someone you love.
Sophie Winfield: What’s the story behind EGONlab.?
Kévin Nompeix: My mother is my biggest inspiration. I came to Paris because I really wanted to be a designer but it was very difficult because I’m not a Parisian guy. Florentin and I are a really good match. We wanted to create a social brand because our collection is not just a collection, we don’t just want to talk about clothes, we want to talk about social community, to talk about life problems. We want to highlight certain situations and give people room to think.
SW: How did your grandparents become the face of the brand, and also the coolest street style couple of the year?
KN: They’re Florentin’s grandparents, and they’re our first fans. They came to the studio and were saying, “I really want to try these clothes!” His grandfather said, “I really want to be a star, I really want to be a model.” And I said to Florentin, “Let’s go!” During Paris Fashion Week after a show we dressed his grandparents, and it was amazing because lots of people screamed like, “Oh my god! What’s happening?” I think it’s really important because we want to work on things that are multi-generational. I think that when we want to talk about sustainability, we want to talk about having pieces that can travel in time – they can be for everybody. His grandparents are really important to us and the EGONlab. DNA.
SW: Where do you find your inspiration? Your SS21 collection (Renewal) felt so different to your latest (Horror Story). Where did that point of difference come from?
KN: We want to be focused on something real. When we talk about Renewal, it was not in the present. Renewal was a futuristic collection, but we are using the same structure because we want to develop a strong brand DNA with a strong form – big shoulders, a really strong silhouette. The EGONlab. silhouette is strong tailoring, and we love to mix that with sportswear. That tailoring is our DNA. In the last collection, Horror Story, we wanted to talk about something different. We really wanted to focus on the disease of social media because a lot of people – with the pandemic especially – are focused only on their virtual lives; “I want to be beautiful” or “I want to use some filter.” I think we want to talk about accepting yourself as the solution, because if you don’t accept yourself, you are your own enemy. The killer in the horror story is not a real killer, you are your own killer if you don’t accept yourself.
SW: Do you remember the first piece you designed together?
KN: The toile de jouy trench. With that collection we really wanted to talk about the past, it was a very technical collection with strong tailoring, and we wanted to use tartan and toile de jouy because of the history of the fabric – it was prohibited – and it gave a really good connection between storytelling and the collection.
SW: Who are your two biggest inspirations?
KN: McQueen and Jean Paul Gaultier.
SW: How would you define your personal style?
KN: During the lockdown – very casual! When we design clothes we’re normally in a hoodie or t-shirt…
Florentin Glémarec: Or naked!
SW: What is it like to work with someone you love? How do you navigate the professional without letting it affect the personal?
KN: I believe in him because he’s really talented, I love him, and I think we have confidence. Sometimes when we are working on the pieces or during a fitting we just make eye contact and we know – we are on the same page. And we have different skills, so we are complimentary.
SW: Do you ever disagree?
Both: (laughs) Always!
SW: How do you strike the balance between contemporary styles and shapes with your punk aesthetic?
KN: We want to create pieces that are really contemporary, but we also love to use historical references and I think it’s really interesting to mix between generations - that’s why we can dress a teenager and Florentine’s grandparents. It’s really interesting to have a wide panel of clients. You know the biker with the spikes? I think everyone said, “It’s really artistic, young people can wear it,” but his grandfather is fucking amazing in it.
SW: What emotion do you want your designs to evoke?
KN: Confidence, and the strength to be yourself. Accept yourself and shine. Accept your imperfections because you are perfectly imperfect.
SW: What’s your go-to meal?
KN: French meat, or pizza. We are really simple people. It’s funny because nowadays with social media, designers are like stars! But not us. We love to go out for pizza with friends.
SW: Favourite city in the world?
KN: Paris.
FG: I love London. I love the energy. Hackney Wick area? I love it. Everyone wears whatever they want and are really nice, you can talk to everybody.
SW: What app are you addicted to at the moment?
KN: Instagram. We are sharing a lot on Instagram, and we love to talk with our followers.
SW: What has lockdown taught you?
KN: That we need to meet people. I think it’s really important to have that connection with creative people so we can discover new talent, or to create collaborations between talents because we love collaboration.
SW: What kind of music do you listen to when you’re designing?
KN: That depends on our mood! It can go from techno to disco… Old French songs and ‘80s music too.
SW: What are you hopeful for in 2021?
KN: No more lockdowns! Meeting new people. Going to the club. Karaoke! It has to be a big show.
SW: So something like designer by day, pop star by night?
KN: (Laughs) That’s my dream!
SW: What’s next for EGONlab.?
KN: We want to keep the accessible aspect of the clothes, but also bring in some more couture designs. We’re going to the keep the DNA, but at the same time, we really want to prove ourselves. We also want to do more accessories and high fashion pieces.
