Parisian fashion house Carven – started way back in 1945 by Madame Carmen de Tommaso – has become one of the coolest young labels of the French show schedule: all thanks to the super-charming creative director Guillaume Henry. We caught up with the 32 year old who took over the helm in 2009 to talk haute couture, Ken Loach and Alexa Chung over a glass or two of Cabernet Sauvignon.
When did you first realize that you wanted to be a fashion designer?
It was really by chance and it was really early on. I was nine years old and I remember seeing an Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture show on TV. Yes, I was nine years old and I told my parents, ‘That’s what I want to do.’
Were your parents involved in fashion?
I think that my mother is the most elegant woman in the world but she didn’t have anything to do with fashion. She used to be a teacher and my father worked in a bank. I grew up in the countryside and most of my family work in agriculture. I’m from the east of France close to Dijon. Most of my cousins and uncles are farmers. Nothing to do with fashion at all!
Was it quite a strange thing for you to want to do fashion then?
When I was young fashion was always on television; it was as important as sport – which isn’t the case anymore. But in the mid-eighties it was really important. I got really interested in fashion and started to look at pictures. I wouldn’t ask my mother to buy magazines because she wouldn’t have liked that. When I was about 12 I saw pictures of Christian Lacroix’s work and became such a fan. I loved what he did. I started to write to him and, surprisingly, he wrote back. We had kind of a correspondence for about three years. And it was then that I realised that this was what I really wanted to do.
You now want to do real clothes, clothes that are accessible. How did you change from wanting to be a haute couturier to designing ready-to-wear?
That’s an interesting question. I was inspired by this business because of haute couture, but because I grew up, I got older, I realised that finally what I love is real life and real people. I admire couture, I love it, but what I want to do is dress my best friends. That is what Carven is about to me.
You were taught by great people such as Pierre Hardy and Pierre Berger at college and also worked with Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy. Who has inspired you most?
I had some great teachers. Pierre Hardy was the best teacher and is someone I would almost call a friend now. He gave me amazing advice when I was 19. He said to me that nothing is impossible, you have to focus on your dream. Even if that dream is not particularly extraordinary, you still have to focus on it. That made me realise that what I wanted to do is not to do extreme things, but to do things that I like. I like simple things. I do love conceptual fashion but that’s not what I like to do myself. What I like to do is to design clothes that girls and boys want to wear right now.
Your women’s wear is quite covered up; prim in a cool way, not overtly sexy. Is that part of wanting to design something more ‘real’?
The overly sexy is not sexy anymore. But there is nothing more sexy than a sexy girl completely covered up. That is why I like collared, prim shirts. Maybe you can show some skin but only in specific areas, I like to hide but to show at the same time. I don’t like it when things are too sexy, too obvious. It’s not the way I feel. My friends wouldn’t show their boobs and their bum and all that. They would ‘play’ with being sexy. I like the idea of playing.
How do you start designing your women’s collections?
When I first started working for Carven I really focused on what Carven was about: couture, pretty, young, charming. So what I design for Carven is really connected with that spirit. That is the main thing.
When I start designing it is always a story, always a character. I ask myself who is the girl? Where is she living? What is the story, what is the scenario? Sometimes I feel that I’m a director of a movie. I love that. I love movies and I love fashion being like a movie.
But like a ‘real’ movie not a fantasy?
Exactly. I really like the films of Ken Loach. It’s like, ‘real’ real people. I’m more in to the boy or the girl next door. Sci-fi is not my thing. I can see why people like that but at the same time what I do like is the crazy story of your ordinary neighbor.
Your models always look like nice people, sweet, not like scary ‘fashion’ people at all?
Definitely. When I’m designing or styling the collection I always need to feel that the girl could be a friend of mine. I respect designers like Riccardo (Tisci, at Givenchy). I was part of his team and I loved it. But doing things by myself, for Carven, I respect the Carven DNA, and, mixing that Carven DNA and my own inspiration, I like to think I create something unique.
When you found your women, was it difficult moving that ethos to menswear?
It wasn’t that difficult the moment that I realised that the man wasn’t me. It was easier for me to design women’s wear two years ago because I’m definitely NOT a woman! So it is obviously something that I’ve imagined. When I started menswear I thought that maybe I would have to think of me, but I don’t. I am the most boring guy in terms of style, but all of the people around me are so inspiring. I am designing all day long so in terms of my own clothes I am super boring!
As a designer are you against the whole cult of celebrity?
Not at all – I am super happy when celebrities are photographed wearing Carven! The only thing is that we never pushed for any celebrities to be dressed in Carven. And somehow it works. What I am really happy with is that so many women that I love have worn Carven, almost by chance.
Maybe the reality of the clothes is the appeal?
Carven is not a costume. Carven is about ready-to-wear with style. And what I am happy with is when I see an actress dressed in Carven I see the women behind. That is what I like. Sometimes I see other designers and I can like it, sometimes it is really strong and beautiful, but you can tell exactly which season it is from. We have a beautiful relationship with Alexa Chung but we never forced that and she is perfect. The thing is that when I first started Carven I said to my team, ‘I would love to see Alexa wearing Carven,’ but she bought it first. For me, that’s a beautiful thing.
