GLAMOUR chats with Jacques Lagrange: He shares his highlights of 2025 and visions for 2026

South African fashion designer, Jacques Lagrange, reflects on an exceptional year and casts an eye toward the future. In this exclusive interview, Lagrange offered candid insights into his personal and professional highlights of 2025, a year that saw his eponymous brand reach new pinnacles of success and creativity. Looking forward, Lagrange is visibly excited about what 2026 holds.

What has been the highlight of your 2025?

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The highlight of 2025 is undoubtedly the resurgence of GLAMOUR and the true essence of COUTURE. To have my designs featured in major top international magazines—Glamour, Elle, and Vogue—is a significant professional achievement. I was honoured to be awarded a place among the top 100 most influential men of South Africa. International travels with my mother were also a personal joy. My most poignant personal highlight occurred at my last show in Cape Town, where private couture clients from 12 different countries flew in to attend the collection. This is, by far, the greatest compliment a South African designer could receive. The JACQUES LAGRANGE COUTURE label has maintained repeat business for the past 26 years within the ultra-luxury market. We have now dressed three generations: Mother, Daughter, and Granddaughter. Furthermore, a fourth wedding commission has already been booked for 2027.This represents a considerable accomplishment for a farm boy from a small town who pursued a monumental dream.

As a designer what trends, if any, were your favourite and what did you absolutely hate?

As South Africa's King of Couture, my philosophy is not to follow trends, but to set them—adhering to my belief that "Couture is a lifestyle, not a party dress." My clientele is discerning; they have a clear vision, and the concept of "trends" is irrelevant to them. Over time, I've created unique garments that have later been seen, often identically, on both international and local runways. It's often said that to be truly original, one must be prepared to be imitated, and I have found this to be profoundly true.

What word/s sums up 2025 for you?

Describing this past year with a single word would be both impossible and profoundly unfair. It was too packed with activity, too spectacular, and far too fabulous for such a limitation. Instead, it demands a colossal, non-existent word—a cluster of words—to capture its essence.

Therefore, my year can only be summed up as:

BEYOND-BLESSED

What are you most looking forward to in 2026?

The new year is shaping up to be exceptionally busy, filled with exciting projects like client weddings, new business ventures, numerous private luxury and fashion events, and several charity initiatives—the latter being a cause very close to my heart. This year promises to be just as successful and positive as the last. I'm particularly enthusiastic about launching a new Swiss-based business venture: AFRICAN RITUAL. This concept celebrates heritage, with its philosophy rooted in true African mythology and expressed through unique, artisanal products. It's a venture where tradition tells a story, embodying the boldness and rich spirit of Africa.

A true highlight is collaborating on various projects with Aimee Kimmel Lentz of TANUR and MURDOCKS. Working with like-minded friends is the ultimate luxury and a testament to the fact that this is the best path forward.