Adrien Sauvage

Adrien Victor Sauvage (born 30 May 1983) is a British fashion designer, director and photographer of Ghanaian descent.

Biography

Adrien Sauvage was born in Wandsworth, London. From the age of 13 he played professional basketball, representing Great Britain at an international level. After taking early retirement from the sport at age 19, Sauvage established himself as a stylist and lifestyle consultant. Using the name Untitled Muse, Sauvage drew clients from society and celebrity circles and the worlds of rock, fashion, film, sports and politics. While working with these clients, Sauvage moved from styling to designing when he realised that men's sartorial needs were not being met. With no formal training, Sauvage began to create a collection that reflected his personal philosophy, Dress Easy ('D.E.'). His vision was to make luxury and sophistication accessible to men with very little effort in a climate which Sauvage saw as dominated by high-fashion catwalk collections detached from function and utility.^[1]

House A. Sauvage

About

In January 2010, Sauvage announced the creation of House A. Sauvage and the launch of his first collection, 'This Is Not A Suit' (Collection 000-1 to 000–11). The collection was described by the Evening Standard as "the future of British Menswear"^[2] and was received instantly by world-renowned department store Harrods, as well as London boutique Matches Fashion.^[3] Originally specialising in contemporary tailoring, the brand has since diversified to offer made to measure, womenswear, casual separates and leather goods. In 2012, A. Sauvage opened a flagship store on Maddox Street as well as an online store.^[4] The brand is now sold internationally at retailers including Joyce Boutique,^[5] and online at Oki-Ni.

Collections

Sauvage's first collection, 'This Is Not A Suit' (Collection 000-1 to 000–11), featured a capsule collection of contemporary tailoring. Each of the eleven pieces was based on tailoring archetypes, adapted to create an A. Sauvage signature silhouette. This adhered to the confines of traditional tailoring but slimmed and simplified shapes while gently subverting subtle elements such as cut, fabric and even fastenings.^[1][6] The collection received critical acclaim with Sauvage being described as “an unusual multi-talent”^[7] and the Observer declaring, "'this is not a suit,' it's a way of life".^[8]

With these new classics established, subsequent A. Sauvage collections have been more playful, exploring new references and product groups and incorporating different materials and techniques. 2012 saw the launch of the A. Sauvage 'Menswear for Women' line, which has seasonally appropriated menswear models and adapted them for the female body.

Sauvage’s designs are heavily influenced by his Ghanaian background. A Ghanaian woven silk Kente was introduced in Autumn/Winter 2012, for example, while Sauvage's Spring/Summer 2013 collection features an Asafo print based upon the flags of the Ghanaian Fante people, a local fishing community on the Cape Coast.^[6][9]

Collaborations

Dr. Martens

In 2012, Sauvage collaborated with Dr. Martens, creating an exclusive range of steed shoes to compliment A. Sauvage's Autumn/Winter 2012 collection. Available in patina and patent leather, the 'A. Sauvage x Dr. Martens' collaboration also featured a woven silk steed shoe in the A. Sauvage signature Kente.^[10]

Café Royal

In 2012, Sauvage began working with London’s iconic Café Royal. Together they created an A. Sauvage 'Working Wardrobe', which was launched in conjunction with the hotel's highly anticipated reopening. Applying the A. Sauvage aesthetic to the project, Sauvage designed a minimalist black wool wardrobe with hints of colour echoing the rooms of the hotel. This was subtly adapted to fit staff roles from front-of-house to concierge.^[11]

Brand Ambassadors

Since its conception in 2010, House A. Sauvage has attracted a prestigious following. Many of Sauvage’s previous lifestyle clients have become brand ambassadors. These include Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Dwyane Wade, Terry Gilliam and Mos Def.^[12]

Other Projects

Photography

To run alongside the launch of his first collection, 'This Is Not A Suit', Sauvage began an online photographic journal focusing on ‘Captains and Natives’.^[12] Shot exclusively in black and white, Sauvage’s first Natives series focused on the inhabitants of Venice Beach, California. This was followed by a shoot in the photographer's home country Ghana. Sauvage's Captains of Industry have been musicians, artists, actors and sports stars – individuals at the top of their respective fields. These have included Bill Nighy, Alex Turner, Miles Kane, Spike Jonze and Coco Sumner. This ongoing project explores the theme of individuality and has been described by GQ as a campaign 'which challenges our notions of what it means to wear the standard uniform of men everywhere…'^[13] The campaign has also received positive media attention from the likes of Esquire, Vogue, Style.com, Financial Times and the Evening Standard. As a result, Sauvage has come to be respected as a photographer as well as designer and has raised the profile of several young models including Edie Campbell.

Films

'This Is Not A Suit' (2010)

In 2010, Sauvage produced, directed and starred in his debut short film, 'This Is Not A Suit',^[14] narrated by Larry Lamb. Illuminating his first collection and its underlying philosophy, the film was presented as an instructional guide to the art of dressing and explored the designer's creative process. Drawing inspiration from Gus Van Sant's 'Discipline of Do Easy' (1982)^[15] and Jørgen Leth's 'The Perfect Human' (1967), the film garnered international praise and was nominated for official selection into the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.

'The Student' (2012)

In 2012, Sauvage produced and directed his second short film, 'The Student',^[16] narrated by Larry Lamb and starring Craig Roberts. The film focused on the 'A. Sauvage x Dr. Martens' collaboration and was produced in the same style as Sauvage's first film, 'This Is Not A Suit'.

Dress Easy

Sauvage's personal ethos is Dress Easy (or 'D.E.') which he has defined as meaning "that your clothes should do the work, not you".^[6] This philosophy underpins each A. Sauvage collection as well as house mottos such as ‘D.E. means never having to wear cufflinks'. Sauvage has been quoted as saying, “I’m trying to make it easier for a man when’s he’s getting dressed.” ^[1] The Art of D.E. is expanded upon in Sauvage's first film, This Is Not A Suit.^[14]

References