Briefed: Inside the surreal Jacquemus atelier
The fashion house continues its partnership with Apple
After announcing its partnership with Apple in January, Jacquemus continues its collaboration with the tech giant, this time by offering a surreal glimpse inside its workshop.
Shot entirely on an iPhone, a new one-minute video surfaced across social media this week, showcasing a highly stylized take on the inner workings of the French atelier.
In the film, workers in white coats go about their day - fitting models, making popcorn, sweeping the floor, and even playing solitaire on a desktop computer.
But amidst these routine tasks, there are playful, offbeat moments: slices of toast being ironed, bananas scattered everywhere, and a woman diving headfirst into fabric rolls (relatable).
Jacquemus thrives on its ability to surprise without relying on shock tactics. At a time when humor in marketing and advertising is more relevant than ever, the French brand has carved out its distinctive approach.
By blending surreal spectacle with wit, Jacquemus disrupts the highly curated, polished aesthetic of traditional luxury, creating a world that feels both personal and entertaining.
The results are joyful: less deliberately overthought, over-researched marketing strategies and more what happens when you let pure unadulterated creativity and instinct form something new.
Creative spotlight
Maxine Gregson is a contemporary artist and printmaker based in East London. Previously a digital designer at one of the UK’s first digital agencies, she now creates hand-pulled screen prints that blend typography, photography, grid layering, and nostalgic imagery, often described as 'Nostalgic Futurism.'
She has worked with Universal Music, EMI, Barclays and D&AD. Collaborating with music clients has been especially rewarding, but one of her most ambitious projects was a Mercedes campaign with comedy actor Matt Berry.
Now primarily an artist and illustrator, she works with agencies and brands directly, with a recent Penhaligon’s commission being a particular highlight.
I sat down with Gregson to hear more.
Q. How do you define your work?
My aesthetic was developed before I realised the term ‘Nostalgic Futurism’ was a good description. I’m drawn to imagery that has a place back in time, but then creates a new context for them. I like to add architectural elements, especially Brutalist structures, that provide a futuristic element, even though most of the structures were created in the '60s. The combination of both gives an otherwordly aesthetic that I try to achieve.
Q. How do you balance creativity with commercialism?
I’ve always had the rule that the message needs to be clear. If the work is not quick enough to understand, then the message is getting lost in the aesthetic. It’s a tough balancing act as my natural instinct is to make it look the best it can.
Q. Has your background in digital media influenced your approach to printmaking and more traditional artistic techniques?
I think the skills I acquired as a digital designer are invaluable and feed into my work. Whether it’s my obsession with typography or image manipluation and composition, it’s all connected to my background. I enjoy the process of creating an artwork digitally and then taking further into a handmade process, giving it a life outside of the screen.
Adland at a glance
Tesco and its ad agency BBH have launched a fully integrated campaign, ‘It’s Not a Little Thing. It’s Everything,’ celebrating the essential role food plays in everyday moments. The campaign continues the brand’s playful use of its logo in striking outdoor ads - a creative approach recently embraced by brands like Kellogg’s and Heinz.
Chef’s kiss to Uber Eats for bagging musical icon Cher for this ad!
The film opens with the legendary Oscar, Emmy and Grammy winner humming her 1989 hit If I Could Turn Back Time and gazing longingly into a mirror before pulling out her phone and searching for a time machine.
Sadly, her daydream is interrupted by the doorbell. While opening the door and looking inside an Uber Eats bag, Cher discovers a time machine and instructs it to transport her back to the 80s.
There’s a crucial error, though, as she finds herself landing in the 1680s – right on top of a cannon. The muddied locals are confused by her appearance, noting, “She’s both young and old at the same time” and declare that she must be a witch.
Known for its slightly whacky ads, Squarespace has teamed up with Barry Keoghan for its annual Super Bowl spot.
In the short, directed by Steve Rogers, the Irish actor draws inspiration from his acclaimed 2022 film The Banshees of Inisherin, once again sharing the screen with a donkey.
As part of its ‘When You’ve Done Enough, Uber Eats’ series, the food delivery service also enlisted Hollywood actor Javier Bardem. In ‘Evil’d Enough,’ the Academy Award-winner, who is well known for playing malevolent characters, bemoans that it is quite taxing having to be so rotten all the time.
Bardem said: “Playing a bad guy can be very demanding. Even villains deserve a little downtime after a long day of being evil. And that’s exactly what Uber Eats delivers.”
New meme unlocked
Tune of the week
At the Grammys last weekend, Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us dominated, winning all five of its nominations - including Song of the Year and Record of the Year - making it only the second rap track ever to achieve this feat. The Drake diss track also claimed Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance and Best Music Video.
Now surpassing 1 billion streams on Spotify alone, its momentum is set to grow even further, especially if Lamar performs it live from the Super Bowl halftime stage in New Orleans this Sunday.