French brand Fursac is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and creative director Gauthier Borsarello has infused the collection with a new, youthful energy. The staid suits and office wear have been updated with sharper cuts and confident, refined sportswear. The luxe-but-laid-back look is envisioned for an upper crust weekend in the Alps.
It’s Borsarello’s third collection and his second time on the official schedule. He again dug deep into his extensive archive of unnamed French military and workwear from the last century, pulling key codes from the eras and adding subtle details such as sharp spear collars on crisp white shirts, frog buttons or clandestine chain closures on velvet dinner jackets, and inverted French pleats that gave a slimming silhouette to trousers.
Against a classic palette he used pops of color, though he has an affinity for tone-on-tone blues and beiges as well as shades of what he calls faux-amis, such as tans and oranges which work well together but have just the slightest hint of discord.
The brand moved under the SMCP umbrella in 2019 and brought on Borsarello two years ago as part of a slow-but-steady move to enliven and expand the label. In that short time Fursac has gone beyond the French borders to expand across Europe with 69 stores, with more in the works, said chief executive officer Elina Kousourna.
Since revamping the suiting, the brand is now attracting female clients to its tailored pieces for a bit of on-trend androgynous style, Borsarello noted. The brand plans to dress some actresses for the upcoming César awards, and while he has no plans to do womenswear, the designer hopes to work with more female clients.
Borsarello continues to gain confidence as he aims for measured growth for the brand.