01ASK FASHION INSIDERS TO NAME THE DESIGNER'S DESIGNER, AND MANY SAY
NICOLAS GHESQUIERE. FOR OVER 25 YEARS HE HAS BUILT A FUTURIST,
ARCHITECTURAL VISION OF WOMENSWEAR THAT THE INDUSTRY MINES FOR
IDEAS, OFTEN WITHOUT CREDITING WHERE THEY CAME FROM.
02HE ROSE ABSURDLY YOUNG. GHESQUIERE SKIPPED FASHION SCHOOL, LEARNED
UNDER JEAN PAUL GAULTIER, AND WAS MADE CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF
BALENCIAGA IN 1997 AT JUST 25. A SLEEPY COUTURE NAME BECAME, IN HIS
HANDS, ONE OF THE BOLDEST, FURTHEST-FORWARD HOUSES IN PARIS.
03HIS BALENCIAGA WAS SHOCK AND AWE. FOR FIFTEEN YEARS GHESQUIERE
FUSED HISTORY WITH SCIENCE FICTION: SCULPTURAL SILHOUETTES, MOTORBIKE
LEATHER, TECHNICAL FABRICS, THOSE FAMOUS ARMOURED HEELS. HE MADE
CLOTHES THAT LOOKED BEAMED IN FROM A SMARTER FUTURE.
04SINCE 2013 HE HAS RUN LOUIS VUITTON'S WOMENSWEAR, FOLLOWING MARC
JACOBS. THERE HE TRADED PURE SPECTACLE FOR WEARABLE POWER: SLICK
JACKETS, STURDY BOOTS, MINI TRUNKS. STILL FUTURIST, BUT BUILT FOR
WOMEN WHO ACTUALLY GET DRESSED AND GO SOMEWHERE.
05AND HE STAYS RELATIVELY QUIET. GHESQUIERE LETS THE CLOTHES AND THE
CASTING SPEAK, KEEPS A TIGHT CIRCLE, AND HOLDS ONE OF THE WEIGHTIEST
JOBS IN FASHION WITHOUT THE NOISE THAT USUALLY COMES WITH IT. THE
WORK IS LOUD; THE MAN IS NOT.
06THAT IS THE INSIDER'S SECRET. GHESQUIERE DID NOT NEED A VIRAL
MELTDOWN OR A GIMMICK BAG; HE JUST QUIETLY SET THE DIRECTION
EVERYONE ELSE FOLLOWS. THE DESIGNERS YOU KNOW OFTEN LEARNED IT
FROM THE ONE YOU MIGHT NOT.