arts24

Known for his playful and colourful designs and collaborations with pop royalty like Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Rihanna, French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac has a big mission: to dress the 700 clergy for the grand reopening of Paris’s beloved cathedral after the devastating fire 5 years ago. The designs are fun, modern and simple. At the centre there is a gold cross, surrounded by an explosion of vibrant colours which he describes as a river of faith and hope to symbolise the rebirth of the near 900-year-old cathedral. A far cry from the popstar glam of his earlier years, de Castelbajac invites Eve Jackson into his studio to show that the worlds of haute couture and vestments aren’t as far apart as they may seem.