The Spring/Summer 2014 collection of Piece d’Anarchive, the fledgling French knitwear label founded by sisters Priscilla and Deborah Royer, has led to an artistic collaboration with French contemporary artist Jean-Pierre Raynaud.
After meeting the designers, Jean-Pierre Raynaud gallantly contributed rubble from the remains of his masterpiece La Maison (The House) — which he knocked down in 1993 — for a special installation for the brand’s presentation at the Palais de Tokyo on September 24, recalling a show he did at the CAPC Contemporary Art Museum of Bordeaux shortly after demolishing the maison.
Rows of metal surgical containers containing debris were arranged in a grid formation on a large square of white tiles, around which racks of Piece d’Anarchive's graphic, street-edged creations inspired by his universe were presented. An artsy film of the collection was screened in the background, to a remixed soundtrack by Andy Stott.
Jean-Pierre Raynaud’s signature white ceramic tile with black joints formed the graphic foundation for Piece d’Anarchive’s clean-cut, sporty black and white collection centered on grids and lines. They patterned straight dresses with short ruffled hems; technical white tops with raised woven black lines; and oversized t-shirts that can double as a minidresses. Many looks were paired with towering grid flatforms. Moving between rigid and fluid fabrics, the line played on innovative textures and hidden details, such as the label’s logo embroidered on the inside of waistbands.
“We liked the idea of a new way to present the collection. We associate Jean-Pierre Reynaud’s work with free-thinking and experimentation; we had been looking at his photos during our inspiration research for the collection and then got to meet him and it was a true revelation,” said Priscilla.
“He spent 23 years building a house and then destroyed it, we wanted to ask him why; we wanted to learn from him. Also the fact that we are building our fashion house has a symbolic connection.”
