When Karl Lagerfeld was recently asked who he’d most like to see succeed him at Chanel, he didn’t hesitate: “Haider Ackermann.” Ackermann has been tinkering with the luxuriously déshabillé dresses and short, sharp jackets that have made him a cult favorite. But with his spring collection came something else—glowing reviews, scores of new fans, and a sense that, at age 39, the Paris-based designer has truly hit his stride.
Why did you become a fashion designer?
We’re all in search of something. My search is for beauty, and that’s
very important nowadays. My father works for Amnesty International, and
of course we need people like him, but we also need people who are
searching for beauty.
Does your father approve of what you do?
Well, yes. Of course there is this disdain about fashion. People always
smile when you talk about it.
How do you explain your clothes to people who are skeptical of them?
I’m looking for a luxury that’s a bit négligé, that can be rich but
doesn’t look rich. I would love for my clothes to be timeless, for
people to build a sense of intimacy with them over time. I’ve tried over
the years to tell a story, with each collection a different chapter. And
you hope the reader will follow you and see where the novel’s going.
You were born in Colombia, adopted by French parents, raised in Africa
and the Middle East, and educated in Antwerp. How has your background
influenced you?
It was very nomadic, which gave me the ability to fit in everywhere. But
it was also very unstable and, as a result, tormenting. It belongs to my
past. Of course it’s who I am, but it’s misty over there.
Would your mother ever wear your clothes?
The collection is quite hard. You need to have a kind of attitude to
wear it. An attitude more than anything else makes a woman beautiful.
What is that attitude, in a word?
Discretion. Although the clothes don’t look discreet, I’m very attracted
to the woman who is sitting in a corner of the restaurant observing. The
woman I’m attracted to wouldn’t stand in the middle of the crowd and
have all eyes drawn to her.
So how did you feel when you saw pictures of Tilda Swinton wearing your
dress at Cannes?
One can only be honored and flattered. What I like about the
relationship I have with Tilda is that it’s a human exchange, a
friendship. It’s not just about sending a dress and hoping she’s going
to wear it. There are emotions involved.
Do you believe in the idea of the muse?
No. Because a muse is a very silent person. The woman I’m attracted to
is most of the time very well-spoken.
