Forget about coming back with a BANG. Designer Simon Porte Jacquemus has bounced back from the recent ‘Hat-Gate’ scandal that saw him come under fire from Instagram fashion police Diet Prada, with a BAG instead.

Indeed, in a metaphorical two fingers up to the recent scandal, Jacquemus sent models down his Spring Summer 2019 collection runway last night carrying oversized bags, amongst other things, that bore a striking similarity to the offending hat at the centre of the ‘hat-gate’ brouhaha.

Designer Simon Porte Jacquemus and models pose on the runway after the Jacquemus SS19 show in Paris. (Credit: Getty Images)

Here’s the background if you missed it: several months ago, Bella Hadid uploaded a photo of herself wearing nothing but a giant frayed hat to Instagram. The image, originally published in a Mexican fashion magazine was reposted by Jacquemus and incorrectly tagged as its own.

Indeed, the French design house of the moment is famous for its oversized headwear, but on this occasion, the hat actually came from a little-known brand called Olmos and Flores and was constructed using traditional Mexican craft techniques.

Diet Prada called the French brand out on it in their typically acidic way. Jacquemus (the brand) removed the offending pictures from their social channels, but the language used in subsequent responses by both parties – Diet Prada and Jacquemus – was barbed, to say the least.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

So…that @jacquemus hat on Bella that went viral actually belongs to Mexican brand @olmosyflores .  More specifically, the hat was created using various local techniques from Jalisco, Michoacán, and the San Luis Acatlán region, the designers told @voguemexico . We’ve seen this happen before–a brand with more power and hunger for a major credit swoops in and steals the opportunity from a smaller brand.  It just so happened that Jacquemus had already created THE hat of SS18, so any giant hat could rightfully be his, right?  Nope.  When you’re the industry’s current darling, you can try….but, you can’t always have it all lol. • #olmosyflores #palapahat #mexican #mexicandesign #voguemexico #jacquemus #labomba #gianthat #hat #accessories #bellahadid #beach #mexico #wiwt #ootd #hypebae #strawhat #crafts #beachlife #beachbum #sand #dietprada

A post shared by Diet Prada ™ (@diet_prada) on

Last night, though, social spats were clearly the last thing on the talented young self-taught designer’s radar. Instead, he served up yet another critical success in Spring Summer 2019 collection form. Called La Riviera, the range presented in Paris’s Italian Embassy, was an upbeat mix of sexy silhouettes, ultra-high hemlines, and a carefree coastal palette of blues, greens and creams. In short, it was magical.

The large and the small of it: Jacquemus SS19

But it was the bags on show that proved he’s still a man committed to extremes. At one end of the scale were almost impractically tiny cross-body clutches and a belt bag that’s the stuff of fashion editors’ dreams. Then, an enormous beach tote with frayed edges so big you could practically live in it, let alone carry a full resort day’s essentials.

Consider the dichotomy of bag scale the two sides of the 28-year-old designer. One, the structured, polished, shy side, then the other, a ride-or-die over-share that definitely doesn’t need to Diet. In truth, we’re quite partial to both of his personas. And those yellow hot pants, well… enough said.

Jacquemus SS19
Jacquemus SS19