“I see the new man with fabrics that have always existed. Cashmere, tweed, linen and cotton with hints of today. The only fashion that interests me is the one that doesn’t go out of style.”
In 1976 Marcel Lassance opened his first store in Saint Germain des Pres.
Very quickly, he established himself in Paris as a leader in men’s fashion. Parisian intelligentsia, to which he first and foremost owes his success, immediately adopted him. Writers, artists, political men, they all recognised themselves in this new style, to which they continue to be faithful today.
Men’s fashion at the time seemed to be stuck between the three piece suit of the past generation and the worn out jeans of the new one… Marcel Lassance defined a new relaxed elegance, executed through maintaining the highest standards in the matters of fabric quality and know how all while freeing us from established codes.
Marcel Lassance revisits the classics by reworking the structures, the shapes, the materials and the colours.
Structure and Shapes
He breaks the rigidity of suits by deconstructing the jackets for enhanced comfort and ease, allowing the body to move freely.
Finished are the linings that impede natural reflexes!
Exit large shoulder pads and other shape-stiffening prostheses!
This doesn’t mean the interior finishing suffers though. On the contrary, it is carried out with uncompromising precision; the jacket is as soft as a jumper but the shape remains decidedly stylised.
Materials
Marcel Lassance’s choice of exclusive fabrics reveals an ecologist ahead of the times; he only uses noble and natural fibres: wool, cotton, linen… These materials satisfy his obsession with comfort. To give them an even softer feel, he goes as far as to have his creations washed once they are finished to give them that “already worn feeling”, which characterises the sober and unaffected elegance that is his trademark.
Colours
Marcel Lassance widens the colour palette used in men’s fashion and along with it disrupts a number of fixed ideas… “Pink is not only for women!” he says. ‘There are thousands of shades; you just have to take the time to find the ones that are most virile.” He has thus designed bronze green blazers, purple jumpers, and even dared a duffle coat in the colour… cherry.
What We Owe To Him in a Man’s Wardrobe
The unstructured jacket.
The duffle coat.
The polo, of Egyptian cotton or Merino, in all colours, both long and short sleeve. Marcel Lassance is the first to divert its use away from its sport traditions.
Lambswool and cashmere jumpers in a “thousand” colours.
Today
Marcel Lassance continues to develop his own line with as much passion as ever and is dedicated to the collections for his Paris and Japanese stores.
At the request of Marie France and Bernard Cohen in June 2010, he also accepted to take on the artistic direction of the men’s line at "MERCI", the latest newcomer in Parisian concept stores.
DATES
1971 Fabric designer.
1973 The first boutique in Paris brings him popularity with those in show business.
1976 He opens a bigger store in Saint Germain des Près and imposes his label on all of Paris.
1978 Fashion show at “Club des Créateurs”.
1979 Exhibition at “Designers Collective” in New York, the success of which opens him doors to the biggest stores in the USA: Macy’s, Saks, Barney’s, Neiman Marcus…
1981 Publicist Jacques Séguéla asks him to dress François Mittérand for his presidential campaign in a way that he incarnates “The Silent Force”.
1982 Beginning of a close collaboration with numerous film directors for the costume design in their films: Bob Swaim, Claude Miller, Claude Zidi, Claude Chabrol, Claude Lelouch, Etienne Chatiliez, Roger Hanin, Jacques Doillon, Jacques Rouffio, Jean Charles Tacchela, Costa-Gavras...
1983 Signing of the first licenses in Japan, where the Lassance style elicits an incredible response.
1986 Marcel Lassance works with Swedish car manufacturer Saab to create an exclusive “SAAB 900 TURBO 16’S” convertible that will be shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1987.
1991 The opening of a “Marcel Lassance” store in TOKYO.
1992-2009 Marcel Lassance follows the development of his own line in France and Japan.
2010 He also sees to the artistic direction of the men’s line at the "MERCI" concept store in Paris.
1971 Fabric designer.
1973 The first boutique in Paris brings him popularity with those in show business.
1976 He opens a bigger store in Saint Germain des Près and imposes his label on all of Paris.
1978 Fashion show at “Club des Créateurs”.
1979 Exhibition at “Designers Collective” in New York, the success of which opens him doors to the biggest stores in the USA: Macy’s, Saks, Barney’s, Neiman Marcus…
1981 Publicist Jacques Séguéla asks him to dress François Mittérand for his presidential campaign in a way that he incarnates “The Silent Force”.
1982 Beginning of a close collaboration with numerous film directors for the costume design in their films: Bob Swaim, Claude Miller, Claude Zidi, Claude Chabrol, Claude Lelouch, Etienne Chatiliez, Roger Hanin, Jacques Doillon, Jacques Rouffio, Jean Charles Tacchela, Costa-Gavras...
1983 Signing of the first licenses in Japan, where the Lassance style elicits an incredible response.
1986 Marcel Lassance works with Swedish car manufacturer Saab to create an exclusive “SAAB 900 TURBO 16’S” convertible that will be shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1987.
1991 The opening of a “Marcel Lassance” store in TOKYO.
1992-2009 Marcel Lassance follows the development of his own line in France and Japan.
2010 He also sees to the artistic direction of the men’s line at the "MERCI" concept store in Paris.