Storge Unbound

What dreams keep you up at night when you finally lie your weary body from the day’s hard work? As you run to catch the bus or get away from the rain, the future may distractingly flash through your mind; holding your lover’s hand, birthing the product of your love, Christmas dinners, sipping a coconut on some private island, or simply not having to run under the rain save for fun. Extravagant or simple, we never truly prepare for the depths or scarcity of emotions that come with turning these dreams into reality. This is one such story of how a seemingly fickle dream stoked by a flame of parental love, storge, came unbound and was handed across centuries, producing infinite strength, guidance and unity for generations. Find out more about Storge Unbound Here

As 13-year-old Jeanne Lanvin ran behind the little buses because she was saving her fare, she probably did not think beyond urgently delivering the goods. Even if she did, nothing would have prepared her for her depth of love or her ability to extend the same yet, she flawlessly lived this reality, leaving a legacy for continuity. The birth of her daughter Marguerite opened Jeanne up to a love she could not have envisaged a capability for. A supposed tale of grace to grass made unique by the birth of a child and the love of a mother.

“Those we love we take care of” is a quote that was very evident in Jeanne’s life as she constantly adorned her daughter Marguerite in fine things, inspiring other parents to equally want their daughters and ultimately themselves, in fine things. Jeanne expanded her love embracing all daughters, homes, men, and women through her creation of fashion and lifestyle boutiques around the world. As Marguerite grew so did Jeanne’s love reflected by the fashion she crafted.

Growth and power could not steal away the devotion of the mother to the daughter and Marguerite maintained centre stage as her mother’s muse. It was fitting that Jeanne chose her daughter as her muse, after all, the muses were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory.

While the tale of Jeanne Lanvin’s immense love for her daughter has been recounted across decades, often unmentioned is the transition of this love to encompass all adorned in Lanvin. A sole familiar love evolved into one timelessly unleashed across races, religions and cultures. Indeed, the storge came unbound, unfettered and unified, leaving traces of the founder’s soul in both pieces and people alike.

This was a wise move as these people have for decades held Jeanne’s essence-infused torch and passed it on, immortalizing her in a sense. Each transfer or touch fuelled the expansion of Lanvin’s motherly romance and translated not just to Marguerite.

In 2022, the ever-burning torch now rests in the hands of creative geniuses like Bruno Sialleli, the current creative director of Lanvin House. Lanvin house has deciphered Jeanne’s Love, amplifying Jeanne’s unbound love and her status as the mother of fashion transcending her into a true fairy godmother by not only making muses of all Lanvin women but also creating standards to nurture all Lanvin women as a mother nurtures her child. It has accomplished this feat through its Lanvin character studies campaign with Stephen Meisel, and a new visual identity by M/M Pari.

The campaign showcases the Lanvin woman as cultured, curious, discreet, self-possessed and secure in just her skin. We cannot but think back to Jeanne and all that she was. Lanvin house much like its founder portrays devotion for its daughters who have blossomed into women, uniting Jeanne to the new world. It goes beyond dressing women in fashionable clothes to dressing their essence.

The Lanvin woman is white, black or mixed with a refined way of presenting herself uninhibited of the need to become someone else. She nurtures her originality, unafraid to accept ignorance of a subject but ever willing and ready to learn about it.

Etched within the Lanvin character studies exists respect for history, tradition and culture: past, present and future. Jeanne was curious and a lover of cultures irrespective of race or place, unabashedly proclaiming how various cultures influenced her passion. She nurtured this trait by engaging in travelling. In addition, she kept to herself, socializing to get to know people and what influences them but keeping her private life private. Much was unknown about Jeanne’s personal life beyond the fact that her marriage broke down.

With attention so keen on her dreams, she could have arguably been possessed by them. Unafraid of showcasing her love for prints, youthfulness and romance, she saw the world through a lens focused on her motherliness. Happily clad in feathers and thriving.

The new Lanvin woman echoes the longing of souls of the modern world and the knowledge of times past. She enjoys the romance of her life, hugging it close to her heart and reliving it in stories and knowing smiles. Lanvin encourages its muses to experience the moment through their eyes rather than behind a screen, living curiously, freely and happily.

Intensifying the fight for women, it encourages women to hold their heads high and find confidence within themselves, respecting and honouring culture yet unrepressed in being themselves and untriggered by external voices towards conformity. What more can a mother aspire for her daughter?

Dreams, love and muse are intangibles that can alter our very existence. When we watch someone run to catch a bus perhaps, a fleeting thought of the lady who inspired creatives into defining not just our clothes but our outlook on life, and standards would cross our minds. Conceivably, Clio, the muse goddess of history who immortalizes things, would touch us into remembering to live being confident, free, cultured and unapologetically in our skins. Thankfully, Lanvin is there to remind and nurture us.

To find out more about Lanvin woman, see Here

If you enjoyed Storge Unbound, why not read Creative Together

.Cent Magazine, London. Be Inspired; Get Involved.