Jean Paul Lesgpanard Abandons the Fries

We first took note of Jean-Paul Lespagnard when he made his hilarious debut at last year’s Hyeres Festival. The collection revolved around Lespagnard’s imaginary muse Jacqueline, who ran a typical Belgian ‘friterie’ (Lespagnard is a Belgian native) whilst daydreaming about Texan cowboys.  This resulted in blonde wigs of Dolly Parton proportions, glittery leotards, stilettos made out of plastic French fries , all of which won him the Public Prize and the big 1,2,3 Prize.

For five years now, French high street retailer 1,2,3 has been working with the Hyeres festival to award a prize of 15,000 EUR and to give the winner the opportunity to design a retailing capsule collection for 1,2,3. Lespagnard  decided to take Jacqueline away from selling fries and instead headed off to the ski slopes where she might find her ideal man, a Sylvester Stalone-type figure. With that in mind, the collection takes on a guise of humorous sportswear – jersey jumpsuits and baggy sweatshirts, swimsuits printed with Alpine scenic views, candycane dresses, and holographic leggings, all worn with an ever-so-slight nod to Jennifer Beales in Flashdance.

Where will Jacqueline go next in her quest for her man?

Jean-Paul Lespagnard for 1,2,3 collection available at 1,2,3 stores in Paris, Lille and Brussels from February.