Laurent Mercier: All White
Photos courtesy of Laurent Mercier

PARIS, Oct 12, 2001/ --- One of the more creative talents to emerge in the French fashion scene is Laurent Mercier, a prize-winning young designer who has already dressed Vanessa Paradis, Lenny Kravitz and Nina Hagen.

Earlier this year, Mercier won not one but three grants from luxury giant LVMH, Yves Saint Laurent and ANDAM, a French state organization aiding young designers.

Previous ANDAM winners have included Martin Margiela, Viktor & Rolf and Jeremy Scott.

Using the total award money of $45,000, Mercier was able to show his almost exclusively white spring/summer 2002 collection in the Carrousel du Louvre against a jet-black background last week.

The collection marked a substantial change from the previous season, where Mercier showed T-shirts featuring the Queen of England posing with her husband, except Prince Phillip's head has been replaced by Marilyn Monroe’s.

But this season, Laurent concentrated on silhouette and detailing with devilishly well-cut ecru jackets, tops with outlandish mesh collars, and beautiful tight, white dresses with crochet inserts.

"I really wanted to concentrate on the silhouette in its entirety, to keep people's attention fully focused on that," Mercier, 35, told FWD.

Reinventing oneself has always been a Mercier forte. As a young man in Paris, he used to dress in drag, renaming himself Lola and going out dressed like Jane Mansfield.

After studying at Paris’ two most prestigious fashion schools, the Chambre Syndicale and Bercot, Mercier spent three years as assistant to Jean-Paul Gaultier and two more with Escada.

A fanatic of all things ‘70s, Mercier became Kravitz's personal dresser on three world tours. His biggest headache back then was that Kravitz, who never wore underwear, would frequently rip his tight pants on stage, forcing the musician to cover himself with his guitar until the end of the song, when Mercier could effect a change off clothes.

"Lenny looked great, though it must have been painful for him to sit down!" Mercier recalled.

Later Laurent created the costume for videos by Blur, Hagen and Paradis. His designs are also frequently used in the kitsch iconic photo portraits of French artists Pierre et Gilles.

Today his collection is sold at Bendel in New York and at Maria Luisa and Shine in Paris. Mercier's sense of humor extends to his label. It's composed of a cloth One Dollar bill with L.Mercier printed by hand over George Washington.

Laurent Mercier Fashion

Laurent Mercier Backstage

Laurent Mercier Backstage

Laurent Mercier Backstage

Laurent Mercier Backstage