Zadig & Voltaire took to the Ritz in Paris in September, and returned to NYC last month. Next stop: two chic parties at the brand’s Palm Beach boutique at the Royal Poinciana Plaza on April 5 and 6 from 1 to 6 p.m., with talented NYC-based
graffiti artist Jormi on hand to customize pieces. The Daily chatted with both the artist and Zadig’s creative director, Cecilia Brönström, to find out more about their exciting partnership!
Jormi
Jormi (Courtesy)
Tell us about your art!
My work is the perfect balance between handwriting, calligraphy, and symbolism, hugely influenced by graffiti and street art. I love to incorporate words within my designs, embellishing them until they evolve into symbols that transmit energy and empower society. My goal is to connect with people on a deeper level, creating bonds and messages that will be remembered and embraced.
How did your career begin?
Right after I graduated from Parsons for fashion design in 2011, I began painting on clothing and shoes, during my first internship in New York with a fashion designer. My boss assigned me to paint on haute couture dresses as an experiment. I fell in love with that project. It was the perfect mix of my two biggest passions — art and fashion. Then I practiced on my wardrobe and all my sneakers. I’m obsessed with sneakers.
Jormi’s work with Zadig & Voltaire (Courtesy)
What’s your personal style M.O.?
I love to combine a powerful suit with comfy sneakers and a cap, handpainted with my favorite word of the day. I love all black everything, or a pair of vintage jeans, white T-shirt, sneakers, and a designer bag inherited from my mom.
When did you meet Cecilia Bönström?
I was painting a mural for an activation event at the Soho men’s store during Fashion Week in 2018. She came by with Chris Tate, the company’s CEO, to check it out and loved my interpretation of the skull motif. I loved her personality and impeccable style. We started talking about my designs and a possible meeting to discuss future projects.
What are your thoughts on Palm Beach?
I love the whole vibe. Palm Beach has some of the most beautiful beaches I’ve seen in my life. I love sailing, snorkeling, relaxing, disconnecting from the world and my work, paddle boarding, and swimming to connect with nature and with myself! My favorite spots are the Royal Poinciana Plaza, Zadig & Voltaire’s boutique, and eating at Sant Ambroeus.
Cecilia Bönström
Cecilia Bönström (Gaêtan Bernard)
Why did you decide to do a Palm Beach bash?
Our summer 2020 collection is hitting stores around the world, and we wanted to create something unique and give our Palm Beach customers the opportunity to create their own personal pieces, with graffiti artist Jormi. With champagne, of course! I love the idea of picking out something you like in the store and making it personal with Jormi’s work.
How did you discover Jormi?
I discovered Jormi through friends in common. Since I started at Zadig & Voltaire, I’ve always pushed to unite our universe with creative talents like Nike, Gaia Repossi, and Pamela Love, and collaborations with contemporary artists. Art is such a big part of the brand; it’s part of our DNA. I had been looking for a long time for someone good at graffiti, but with a personal touch. Jormi’s work has a freshness and modernity I’d never seen before. We started working together on one of our NYC stores. I just loved it, so for the next women’s collection I incorporated her work on jersey and knitwear pieces. It was such a success, so at our show at the Ritz in September, Jormi’s work was featured on ornate printed silk dresses.
What do you enjoy about Palm Beach?
I love the chic, classic style of the Breakers, having a relaxing morning at the beach, lunch at Sant Ambroeus, and in the afternoon, I go shopping!
What are you reading these days?
Last year, Zadig & Voltaire created a Prix Littéraire, where we choose a young writer for the Zadig prize and a more established writer for the Voltaire prize. Through this season’s competition, I discovered writer Loïc Hecht, who wrote the book Le Syndrome de Palo Alto, a crazy story about the young generation working and living in Silicon Valley. I also like advice books from my French journalist writer friend, Xavier des Moulins, or a good classic from Stefan Zweig.
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