Ladies and gentlemen,
We were together a few months ago, in January, to launch a
unprecedented operation to support young creation in France.
I then made the observation, alongside Valérie Toranian, that it was necessary
support this creation resolutely, failing which the diversity of creation,
the renewal of generations, the regeneration of major brands
and therefore the attractiveness of the Place de Paris would be a
threatened day.
To this end, the Ministry of Culture and
This partnership had two objectives:
identify new fashion talent, and create, for them,
adapted support systems, complementary to those already in existence
in the various professional bodies, or in the City of Paris.
These two objectives have been achieved. A first promotion of these young people
talent is presented to you today. It has helped identify creators
some already known, like Rabbi Kayrouz,
others less, like Barnabé Hardy, others not yet, like Belle
Ninon. This is already a great success for this «new wave» which
makes fashion move, as Godard and Truffaut put the eye in motion
cinematographer.
A support system has also been developed. Under the aegis of the
Ministry of Culture and Communication, three fashion houses -
Balenciaga, Chanel, Louis Vuitton - and the Institute for
Cinema and Cultural Industries have come together to create
a repayable advance fund of $1 million
This fund will allow creators to finance their
collections by not bearing the very heavy cost of payment deadlines,
which can reach 18 months, and which sometimes constrains their young houses
in bankruptcy, even though they are growing and their
order book is full. Alongside this fund, a place for young people
creators loaned by Louis Vuitton, in the heart of Paris, will allow talents
show their collections to buyers and the press. Finally, the
magazine ELLE will offer support, visibility and
sales spaces on the internet.
Beyond these two success stories, however, I still want to highlight
the dynamics that have been created around this project. We say
sometimes that fashion is divided, we sometimes relay its crises, its
seizures. They exist. As everywhere. But it’s not that aspect
fashion I saw when I joined Valérie Toranian in
this adventure.
The two chambers of sewing and ready-to-wear trades
have opened the door to us beyond the differences that we are told. The
fashion houses have helped us together, beyond the
natural competition. The Ministry of Culture and
of Communications and the Department of Industry met, with
complementary projects, each in its own area of expertise.
The press relayed the initiative in its diversity. Department stores have
sponsored the operation. The city of Paris has also returned to the round,
to foster young creation and its economic role. The
support for young creation in France really brought together all the
world.
I would like to thank tonight all those actors who
above the parties in favor of an important cause, a cause
of a beautiful cause: youth, and creation. And I want, well
sure, especially thank the three fashion houses that
Guarantors of the advance fund: Chanel, Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton.
I want to thank these three beautiful houses and their leaders:
Bruno Pavlovski, Fashion Director of Chanel, Isabelle Guichot,
President of Balenciaga, Yves Carcelle, President of Louis Vuitton.
Without them, without you, this project would not have the dimension it has today.
You are the protectors and guarantors of a generation of creators that
you will bring out, who will be next to you, with you,
because they will strengthen the attractiveness of the Place de Paris.
A new cultural deal for fashion has emerged and I am delighted
that my department be fully involved. On June 29, we will celebrate the
ANDAM (National Association for the Development of the Arts)
and fashion) right here. On July 4, we will inaugurate the street space
with our winners. On the 7th, the Palace of Versailles will host
the closing of haute-couture with, in particular, an exhibition by Olivier
Saillard, whose exhibition on Madame Grès at the
Bourdelle Museum and decoration sheds right here. In October, the
city of Paris will make fashion week a party. The DEFI will have
its highly anticipated guarantee fund, completely complementary to the scheme
result of our initiative.
Fashion is ephemeral, that’s no reason not to make it last
as long as possible, in other words, ensure that the
creation is also the invention of a tradition. As you know, fashion is
always confronts its own limits, it constantly invents
new forms, imagine new territories for clothing. I
believe, however, that impertinence and insolence are a matter of state
more than appearance. Nothing will replace the wild freedom of
creator: this is the truth of your jobs, this is the ambition I have for
Department of Culture and Communication.