Jean-Charles De Castelbajac is a renowned artist and designer approaching craftsmanship with vibrant color. A pillar in realms of fashion and illustration, he’s accomplished well deserved international success throughout his career. Beloved by the Flaunt family, Jean-Charles collaborated on our [Oh La La Land](http://www.flaunt.com/content/art/oh-la-la-land-issue-art-cover?rq=jean-charles%20de%20castelbajac) cover, and celebrated his book launch, [Fashion, Art, & Rock’n’Roll](http://www.flaunt.com/content/place/flaunt-x-jcdc?rq=jean-charles%20de%20castelbajac), back in Paris of 2016. More recently, he was appointed the artistic director of United Colors of Benetton- a seamless fit as a connoisseur of pop, and timeless fashion.
With warm seasons approaching, JCDC collaborated with [Vilebrequin](https://www.vilebrequin.com/us/en/magazine/collaborations/blog_article-jcc-collaborations.html) on a summer capsule collection for men and women. Inspired by ‘60s superheroine Pravda la Survireuse, Jean-Charles created the collection with strong women in mind. The power of pop and primary colors interact with innovative designs; deconstructing traditional swimwear norms and stimulating an energy of balance. At [The Webster](https://thewebster.us/shop/) SoHo capsule launch, I sat down with the king of color to discuss the collection’s creation process and synergy.
**_Developing a concept and method often intrigue your chosen medium. How did the ‘60s superheroine, Pravda la Survireuse, spark your intrigue for this collaboration?_**
You know, I always liked a Superpower woman. I think it was an epic vision of femininity; it was very contemporary. A revolution, for me, was _Charlie's Angels_, and I think it's a good time not to be nostalgic or melancholic of the past, but it's a good time to bring back some flashing lights--a spirit, of femininity. Actually, that's why I based my concept on it.
**_What did your design process encompass while aiming to redefine and deconstruct traditional swimwear silhouettes?_**
Swimwear is a territory where inventivity is a bit short--it’s always chic minimalist and I wanted to drop that concept where I can use my creativity. So, I have tried to reinvent the way of the double bikini; the black one with the rainbow coming out and the one with the zipper. I like being a bit playful, you know, not just feminine--that was my idea.
**_With your use of primary pop colors, a sense of balance remains. How would you describe your formula for that balance?_**
Actually, it's now almost 50 years that I’ve been doing this work, so in 50 years, when you have a very specific DNA, this kind of self-vision imposes on you to reinvent yourself permanently. And people generally seem to reinvent themselves: they are going through so many styles. I know so many designers, and one season they will do cowboy and another season they will do haute couture, and then they will do Lolita. I always believed that I preferred style to fashion. My territory of expression is very specific, but it's very disseminated. I work always with the DNA of the company, and I'm working now with Benetton. Benetton is a huge territory because I have 260 assistants, so it’s 40 years of history beneath them. But always, I consider it that something is achieved when you don't know the frontier between the collaboration and me. It's really the intelligence of my style, I think. Because it's very easy to put two names next to one and to provoke something. But this is not my idea of design. My design is like the sweater I'm wearing: I designed it in ‘82 for Iceberg and it’s still cool tonight. And even if it's a very strange design, it passes better in time than things that are more classical.
**_Do you have a favorite piece from this collection?_**
I love my bikini. To design a bikini, it’s like for a contemporary designer to design a chair: there have been so many versions. Some people have said, ‘Oh, it's a monokini, it’s a bikini…’ I want it to be useful and sometimes women were a bit too large or who don’t have the shape, and they hesitate, and I wanted to create all sorts of them. Because to be a designer today, it's to do everything with a kind of conscience. To do a good design is very important, and it's funny because my work is very colored and pop, but behind, it's good design; this is what I'm the most proud of. Because when it's a good design, it’s passing age. I can see, for example, all the pieces that will be at the Met in the “Camp” exhibition, like the teddy bear coat. The teddy bear coat I designed the same year--’82, but it's still cool now.
**_I think, too, when design is approached from a lighthearted stance, it becomes less serious, less definitive to a trend or specific time._**
Today, the big problem of fashion is that it's going faster than the speed of life. But very strangely, it goes way back; it's like you're rewinding, there’s a lot of copies and things like that. There is an investigation of the story of fashion. I think now is a good time for a revolution. This revolution, for me, is to do very creative things in good quality and in a democratic price because it's too much time of frustration for the kids. They go by the inside of their clique, and they want to buy things and it’s a fortune. That’s the second step of my project. This is Benetton, and Benetton is a big success now because it’s a good brand, it’s a good name with good quality and we are coming out soon. For example, our first T-shirt will be costing $12 with a good design and a little detail, and we will have a range of price to $300. But most of all, for example, the knitwear is $79 for pure wool--something like that. When I used to do it at Iceberg, it was like $700-$800. Now, 40 years after, I produced it in the best wool for $79.
Benetton is extraordinary: it’s haute couture for all. That would be my next revolution because, after 50 years of design, I am not into the challenge of doing haute couture--it’s not worth it. Because, for the kids, they have to go to fast fashion. So fast fashion defines sometimes a little caption, or they grew up too close to the sports brand. But they don’t have a place where they can find continuity, good collaboration. I love to do this and I love to be back in New York because it has been the first city who loved me. New York always understands my difference; nobody's strange in New York.
To shop Jean-Charles De Castelbajac x Vilebrequin click [here](https://www.vilebrequin.com/us/en/browse-by-patterns-vilebrequin-x-jcc-%2B/).
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