Bastien Daguzan is parting ways with Jacquemus after less than two years as president of the breakout brand.
Simon Porte Jacquemus, founder, owner and creative director of the 14-year-old designer business, thanked Daguzan in a statement Thursday and said: “Bastien has been a driving force behind the business and its leadership. We wish him well in his new endeavor.”
Likewise, Daguzan said: “I would like to thank Simon for his trust and the incredible journey we have been on together with the team. He has always been an immense source of inspiration; I am so proud to have been a part of this adventure.”
For Daguzan, the adventure began when he started consulting for Jacquemus during his five-year stint as general manager of Paco Rabanne fashion.
In May 2022, Daguzan made the jump and switched over to Jacquemus full time just as the brand was hitting a steep growth curve.
Sales more than doubled in 2021 to top 100 million euros, with more than 30 percent of that going right to the bottom line.
Shortly after Daguzan joined, Jacquemus was tapped for the WWD Honor for Best-Performing Fashion Company, Small Cap. That fall Daguzan said the company was on pace to double sales again in 2022 and was targeting 500 million euros by 2025.
The growth spurt followed along several lines as the company has both accessories and ready-to-wear sold through its own e-commerce site, wholesale accounts and, as of last year, a flagship on Avenue Montaigne in Paris.
It is a fashion machine that employs 300 people and is powered by the designer, who has cultivated an easy connection with customers via the brand’s official Instagram account, which boasts 6.2 million followers.
Daguzan stressed the importance of that digital connection last year.
“Each time we say something on Instagram, you have a queue on Avenue Montaigne,” he said. “And that is the way we work: We create surprises in order to make people dream about us.”
