Katy Perry ‘s yellow Obama dress, Lady Gaga’s striped prison uniform, Beyonce’s bejeweled jacket in the music video “Telephone” and more recently Lady Gaga’s leather gloves costume for her new video “Applause”. We are all familiar with these out-of-the-ordinary designs but what about the man behind the art?

Every so often in life, you come across exceptional people who inspire you. In each of these encounters whether long or short, you get a glimpse of what life could be. Meeting Jean-Charles De Castelbajac was one of those moments for me. Listening to him share his story: childhood in boarding school, ups and downs in the fashion industry, turning points in his life and career painted a colorful picture of tenacity, creativity and destiny.

I interviewed him during the Fashion & Design Festival, which he was presiding. He held a book signing, painted a fresco in front of an audience for charity, hosted an exposition of his works, presented a grand fashion show titled “Fantômes” which means Ghosts in French and had a conference during which he shared many anecdotes about his parents, career and celebrity friends such as Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Katy Perry, Jerry Hall and Andy Warhol to just name a few.

De Castelbajac is a mastermind and whether you are young, old, artistic, entrepreneurial or a constant dreamer there is something for you to learn here. Enjoy your up close and personal moment with him!

FWAC: You have a very effervescent imagination for fashion. How have you stayed so creative over the years?

JCDC: I have no secret. I’m just passionate. It’s inside me. I’m also I’m very kin on any new generation of culture. I’m on the Internet, on Facebook, on Instagram. Everything is a source. I love new music and new art. I’m just inspired by every kind of strange thing.

FWAC: I loved how you said: “hip hop saved my life” when referring to Jay-Z wearing a sweater from your collection back in the 90’s. What was your original target market and how did you react when you realized that the Hip Hop community was so warm to your designs?

JCDC: You know, the Hip Hop scene loves color and everything linked to my culture, which is pop culture. So I have a very wide customer base because my clothes are very particular to wear.

 

FWAC: What would you tell young artists who want a successful career like yours?

JCDC: There is no artist without entrepreneurship. If you want to succeed: you never explain, never complain, you have to win and you have to dare to win. This is very important… It’s a major thing to do a concept, as I said before in the conference. I have young friends who are 30 years old who became very successful with just one idea. One of them is doing bike helmets and the other is doing perfumes from the 18th century with the smell of Marie-Antoinette. It’s an idea.

FWAC: Did you enjoy your time here in Montreal?

JCDC: I love Montreal, that’s why I did so many things here. I really love that there is a young generation of people coming from every part of the world. Yesterday, on the stage I had models from 39 nations but it was ONE nation. That was my message.

FWAC: What do you think of Montreal designers?

JCDC: Here in Montreal, I’m very surprised that there isn’t more fashion inspiration coming from Canada. It’s just amazing. I have a feeling that there is a complex sometimes and that Montreal designers are looking at what Europe is doing too much. Why is that? In Canada you have history, you have nature, you have color, you have tribalism and you have modernity. You have the best electro bands in the world: Crystal Castles and Caribous. I don’t understand. Me, I would love to be a Canadian designer. I would love, per example, to work with a company like The Hudson Bay because there is so much to do. Just with the 4 stripes of color I could create 20 collections.

FWAC: Your first coat design was made in The Hudson Bay’s 4 colors stripe fabric actually. Why?

JCDC: I connected with them because when I was a little boy, I slept in an Hudson Bay blanket. And so I used it always, it’s part of my history.

FWAC: This is Fashion With A Conscience so I have to ask: do you have a cause that is dear to your heart?

JCDC: Children. I did a big fresco today and I wanted it to be sold for the children. This is the main cause for me: beaten children, abused children, and malnutrition. This is really important to me. I cannot stand that.

FWAC: Thank you so much for your time Jean-Charles.

JCDC: Merci, merci!

Wise words from a wise man.

Stay Conscious + Chic!