We Dress 24 February 2023

The French Academician François Meyergans

In 2011, agnès b. imagined and designed the costume worn by writer François Weyergans for his introduction to l’Académie Française.

Members of the prestigious institution usually have their famous suits, invented by Napoléon Bonaparte three centuries ago, at the army’s tailor. François Weyergans wanted something more suited to his style, and had the idea to ask Agnès for help. Bingo! From the fabric to the buttons, the delicate green and gold embroideries including a small lizard, the writer and the stylist worked together on every aspect of the suit. 

In the book agnès b., stylist, published in 2016, the Franco-Belgian writer told in his words the story of his ‘immortal’ suit, the nickname for members of the Académie. 

"So if I had always felt comfortable in agnès b. Suits, why not ask Agnès to assist me with the habit I would wear in front of an audience? But speedily and anonymously buying a suit from the rue du jour store and having the pants hemmed and ready the next day was a process far removed from that of working on Napoléon's grand effort later modified by victor Hugo! And what if Agnès wasn't interested?

Meanwhile, at the Academie, Madame Perpetual Secretary, whom my colleagues nicknamed 'the Tsarina' or 'Mother Superior,' found that my effort with the coat was dragging and said to me, 'You will do what I tell you. You will see the military tailor!' I did not dare tell her that I had been exempted from military service. I did not dare bother Agnès with this fact either, except when she bestowed on me the joy, surprise, even astonishment of accepting my request. I think this project provided her with a distraction, something to do that was little unexpected; to me, Agnès always seems game to participate in something that intrigues or pleases her.

(...)

So Agnès agreed to take on the work for my Academician habit. I met with her team, and Jean-Pierre Souffir took my measurements. There were also Rebecca, Franck, Mylène, and young people who were bright and lively and who make movies or compose music and make Agnès laugh.

(...)

In this kind of secular and white chapel that is her office, where wide, clear windows on the top floor open onto the north of Paris, she works constantly. While I watched her work, think and decide. I had only one thing to do: stand up straight! And there are always champagne, vodka, flowers, and cigarettes available.

(...)

Agnès spoke to me about Diderot, Voltaire, and Watteau, and about engravings from the 19th century that had inspired her when designing the back of the habit, which appeared sublime in the mirror wherein I saw it. We could 'construct' (in couture, one uses the term 'construct', right?) from this costume a children book, which would be a refreshing story, far removed from the backstage of the Académie Française. It would be a fairy tale, and guess who would be the fairy ? The fairy said one day, 'I want to make clothes a person keeps his entire life'. She did not realize how true this statement was! I did not want to abandon it in a place called the 'Cloakroom of the Academician'. I left it in her safekeeping rather than hang in hotels.

So this fairy tale and refreshing adventure went on for months. Of course we loved the fact that it was dragging out. Occasionally, the Perpetual Secretary, who was worried about the embroidery, sent an assistant to check whether it was sufficient. We were enjoying ourselves, Agnès and I, by secretly introducing a small embroidered lizard, an animal we both love, into the regulated design of the olive branches. This lizard is a kind of emblem of this civic and family-owned company called 'agnès b.', and it was also, for me, a companion during my childhood (I captured and tamed lizards and went to school with my favorite lizard hidden in my satchel).

(...)

I sneak under the dome, and I recognize Agnès in the room with her wonderful little camera. Later, she would tell me she was quite in agreement when I spoke of rock'n'roll and said that having loved this music when we were young made us forever young and streetwise, and we will not turn out like other old people. We are very good friends now, Agnès and I. I love, admire, and embrace her."