A fitness fanatic and sports enthusiast since his teen years, Sébastien Jondeau always cringed at the idea of his clothes and other personal affairs mingling with sneakers in his gym bag.
As the Karl Lagerfeld brand’s newly appointed product consultant, he tackled that problem: A trapezoid-shaped bag with a separate, zippered compartment for sneakers figures among the 16 items in his first design effort, an athleisure capsule that’s part of the men’s pre-fall 2022 collection hitting stores in June.
Karl Lagerfeld gym bag features a zippered compartment for sneakers.
Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld
The strapping Jondeau, a longtime brand ambassador for Karl Lagerfeld men’s wear, is also a major fashion plate, his wardrobe bulging with Tom Ford suits, Saint Laurent shirts and many of the trendy brands worn by his very generous boss, who died in early 2019.
Having spent 20 years working at the elbow of the legendary German designer, as his bodyguard, confidante and personal secretary, Jondeau learned much about the fashion system, how to dress for various occasions — and the creative process. He took particular interest in the very technical sketches Lagerfeld crafted alongside his dreamy, hand-colored fashion illustrations for Chanel, Fendi and his namesake brand.
“I really go into detail in my sketches,” said Jondeau, who also strives to marry aesthetics with utility in his designs. “When I think about clothes, of course, I want them to look very good, but they have to be functional at the same time.
“When I was a kid, I was sketching everything — cars, dogs, things around me, and my mother kept all my drawings,” he noted. “Whenever I have an idea, I can do a lot of sketches. I love to do it.”
A look from the Rue St. Guillaume Menswear Athleisure line.
Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld
In an exclusive interview about his appointment, Jondeau marveled at his good fortune, having scrabbled his way from a rough-and-tumble upbringing to working for one of the world’s greatest fashion designers — and now carrying on his legacy as a member of the Karl Lagerfeld design team.
According to the company, Jondeau provided “significant creative input throughout the design and development phases” of the first athleisure capsule, which will retail from 100 euros to 250 euros.
“I think Karl would be very proud of me,” he said over a video call from Milan, where he contributes to the creative team at Fendi on sport-related clothing and accessories.
Activewear and athleisure will also be his focus at Karl Lagerfeld, which is second nature to him.
“The only sports I don’t do are tennis and golf,” said Jondeau, who has a passion for boxing, kite surfing, foil board, jet skiing, mountain biking, motocross, and all manner of training and extreme sports. “My first approach to fashion was the athletic one.”
His first capsule, dubbed the Rue St. Guillaume Menswear Athleisure collection, winks to boxing, running and cycling, he said, though the windbreakers, jogging pants and sweatshirts look smart enough to don for any casual, sweat-free occasion.
There’s also a two-tone parka that can be zipped off to create a shorter, bomber-like jacket. “I like multifunction, and transformable garments,” Jondeau said. “I’m always looking for ways to look different with the same clothes.”
This padded Karl Lagerfeld coat can be worn in two lengths.
Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld
The collection also includes sweatshirts, T-shirts, hoodies and shorts with a concealed, zippered pocket for storing small essentials while exercising.
Asked about his design methods, as he had no formal training, Jondeau said he collaborates with the Karl Lagerfeld teams in Amsterdam, led by design director Hun Kim, contributing sketches, assisting with fabric selection and color choices, and advising on graphics. The latter includes a more active-looking iteration of the Rue St. Guillaume logo that references the address of Karl Lagerfeld’s Paris headquarters.
According to Kim, “Sebastien is bringing a very personal and valuable creative input on the new collection by offering ideas that highlight his extensive experience as an athletically minded person, combined with his genuine love of fashion.”
Jondeau is certainly not a fan of “overthought” fashions or extraneous details, prizing wearability and thoughtful features. He noted that many designer brands do sport collections, but not all of them are functional.
In line with the company’s sustainability ambitions, roughly two-thirds of the fabrics used for the athleisure capsule are organic or low-impact, the brand noted.
Jondeau will concentrate on Karl Lagerfeld men’s wear, but he noted that some styles, like anoraks, are gender-neutral. “I used to do a lot of sports with girls. I know how they use clothing, and I know how they like to look,” he said.
Jondeau is to continue his role as a brand ambassador, and is honored to do so. “It continues the story of the family,” he said.
He began modeling for Karl Lagerfeld men’s wear in 2005, with Lagerfeld snapping the campaign images. His first stab at design came in 2018 when he unveiled the Karl Lagerfeld Curated by Sébastien Jondeau collection at the Pitti Uomo trade fair.
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Source: WWD