Impasse 13 Spring 2009

The Dandy is still a difficult look to pull off, but I have a feeling it will be more prevalent on the runway shortly.  Until then, Impasse 13 leads the pack.

Impasse 13 is a unisex line by Alexis Mabille. Mabille began his fashion journey dissecting and reinventing old clothes before moving on to costume designing, which led him to an education at Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.  Afterwards, he worked for several fashion houses such as Nina Ricci and Dior, before launching his own line in 2005.

“It was at a very young age, while he was living in the French city of Lyon, that Alexis Mabille discovered fashion. Inspired by wandering around museums and his family’s attics, he became interested in cutting up forgotten petticoats, pieces of lace and other knick-knacks and sewing them back together. He later took his first steps towards becoming a designer, when as a teenager he created theatre and party costumes, as well as outfits for his friends and family. After receiving his diploma from Paris’ Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in 1997, he undertook apprenticeships at famed fashion houses Ungaro and Nina Ricci, before joining the team at Christian Dior with whom he stayed for nine years. During his time at Dior he created exquisite fine jewellery for John Galliano, as well as the Dior Homme line overseen by Hedi Slimane.

2005 marked the launch of Alexis Mabille, a collection of unisex ready-to-wear clothing and TREIZEOR, an imaginatively revisited line of bow -ties, while continuing his collaborations with the worlds of couture and beauty. Alexis invites us to delve into his highly personal, frivolous, dynamic, imaginative and racy universe, in order to discover a fresh take on unisex fashion. One where the elements of sophistication and fantasy are taken to new charismatic and enthralling heights.”