We welcome back the King of downtown Parisian chic
To many, Jean Colonna is an unknown name. The Belgium-born designer emerged during the early ‘90s alongside fellow visionaries Martin Margiela and Ann Demeulemeester. However, while his contemporaries were focused on a conceptual minimalism, Colonna was championing a raw, grunge aesthetic which earned him the title of King of downtown Parisian chic. He caused controversy with his low-priced synthetic fabrics and ragged finishings, selling leatherette, PVC and acetate, with each collection rooted in his hole-ridden T-shirts and exposed seams. His fashion shows always had a wonderfully seedy, perverse edge, more reminiscent of a nightclub than a catwalk. In 1993, a model famously opened his catwalk show by firing blank shots towards the camera pit at the end of the runway. A year previously, The Independent labeled his clothing “Camden Market brought to the couture catwalk”.
Colonna's work is preserved in candid, iconic imagery shot by Stéphane Sednaoui, Glen Luchford, Nan Goldin and David Sims, whose photographs took Colonna’s clothing into the murky, downtown world for which he imagined them. “I always liked the reinterpretation of my work through the sight and the talent of the photographers that I worked with,” he says. “I learned a lot about the meaning of my creations in their pictures.”
"Jean Colonna is reopening in Paris, bringing back all the illicit sex appeal and faded grunge which made his name back in 1990"
Since he shut shop in 2002, Colonna’s garments have lived on in vintage shops and collector’s closets. However after quietly launching a cashmere line in 2009, his shop is reopening in Paris, bringing back all the illicit sex appeal and faded grunge which made his name back in 1990. However perhaps Colonna’s bad girl has grown up a little. There is a new level of tenderness, led by Colonna’s comeback slogan – “Make It More Sensual” –printed across tank tops, dresses and paper bags. Here, we speak to the designer and break down the 5 Codes of Jean Colonna.
1. The Tank Top
Each Colonna collection is rooted in a classic tank top. “The starting point for the knitwear was the tank top,” he explains. “From the anonymous worker to Cindy Crawford, to Gisele, it works. That's why I'm attracted to this piece. It has so many lives, so many meanings, you can wear it in so many ways.”
2. Transparency
Colonna focuses on the idea of “naked skin,” creating fine, opaque knits that can be layered one on top of the other. “As usual, my attraction with naked skin ruled my work for S/S15. The ability to show your skin and your body with one or several transparent knit layers. That's my purpose.”
 and Kate Moss (right) for Jean Colonna)
3. DNA colours
“For S/S15, I chose three colours: black, khaki and nude. Each one is part of the Jean Colonna DNA colour palette. It avoids any visual disturbance.” Colonna rarely strayed from a monochromatic colour palette during his ‘90s reign, bar the occasional magenta bra or pant line.
4. Fetish fabrics
Colonna’s archive is rich with PVC, vinyl, acetate and leatherette. Fetishistic, 90s club-kid and punk fabrics. The new collection features clothing coated with non-woven paper, alongside utility jackets and trousers embellished with punk-esque zips.
5. Inside Out
“Inside out has been key since the beginning,” advises Colonna. He gained notoriety for his visible seams and over-locking when he launched his collection. It became a signature look, as though the garment had been turned inside out. He was also known for his low-slung trousers and tight jersey-dresses.
Jean Colonna is now open at 22 Rue Debelleyme, Paris.
Words by Mhairi Graham
