Gerald Hildebert Marceau is a French fashion designer and stylist who is promoting equality, diversity, positivity and style! Gerald has made the heart-shaped pocket his trademark, promoting the love message that he wants to spread everywhere! Love has to be simple, fun, elegant and for everyone! No matter who you are and how you look, Gerald is spreading the word of equality and he helps us discover his universe.

YASS Magazine travelled to Paris recently and we noticed there were a lot of Parisian people wearing the signature heart-shaped pocket shirts and that caught our attention immediately! Fairly soon, we managed to find the designer behind this brand and we asked him for an interview. Gerald confesses that this pocket shape is the same as the one he was sketching since his childhood and this symbol has become his life-partner for a long time. So one day he thought it would be really nice that this dream becomes a reality and this is how the brand GERALD HILDEBERT MARCEAU was born! No doubts, Gerald turned out to be as interesting as his clothes. YASS!

Merci Gerald!

 Tell us a little bit about you so we can know you better?

My real name is Gerald Hildebert Marceau. I’m 42 but I look younger (especially at night). I live in Paris and Nice. I love to travel all around the world alone or with my friends.

I love drinking, eating and dancing all night long! I love flamboyant people.

When did you start making clothes and how did your brand come to life?

I’ve studied fashion design in Paris. Making clothes was my first job and it still is until today. I used to work for many designers. Four years ago, I felt that I needed to create my own brand and design my own collection. I started with men’s shirts.

Did you know that you wanted to be a fashion designer since you were a child?

Of course! When I was a kid I used to dress my cousin’s dolls. I even remember that I gave a special attention to accessories creating hats and turbans with toilet paper and towels.

How have social media helped your career? Is it easier nowadays to be successful in the digital era or is there more competition? 

I would not say that you can easily be successful and become popular with Instagram, as it helps to show your creativity and expertise to the entire world. The competition is the same with or without social media. It’s just more difficult to separate yourself from the crowd because social media are very crowded and sometimes it is difficult to get noticed and picked up!

What makes your brand stand out?

French flavour!

What are your inspirations and role models?

I find inspiration in pop songs, movies and art. David Hockney’s art is an amazing source of inspiration. Gaultier and Madonna as well! Singers such as Britney Spears, Katy Perry or even Lova Moor (I’m pretty sure you don’t know her) help me to create! Pop culture from 80’s and 90’s is my main source of inspiration. For instance, I’m a huge fan of Don Johnson’s looks in Miami Vice or the ones of all the masculine cast of Clueless.

How did you decide to choose the heart with the colours of the French flag as your signature image of your branch? What does this mean to you?

I love France and the image of France in the world. Sad incidents like the terrorist attacks in Paris and in Nice and more positive ones like the French triumph in the World Cup made French people become more and more proud about their nation and their identity. I wanted to play with that feeling and share it with the world.

What is your biggest audience and what is the target group of your brand?

At first, my target were Parisian men between 30 and 40, living on the right side of the river (where the funniest districts are). But, I’ve seen that my clothes were for anyone in the world who liked love, life and fun. Even a woman can wear my shirt, like if it was her boyfriend’s shirt!

How would you describe your clothes?

The 3 « F »: Funny, Fancy and Frenchy!

More seriously, it’s a mix between casual and understated elegance. Something everyone would love to have in their closet to go to a brunch, a party at night or to work… I’m in love with printed fabrics that I sometimes mix with plain fabrics. For my next collection, I use my own stamps to create unique printed fabric. Each cloth will be unique.

If you could choose anyone to wear your clothes, who would it be and why?

Difficult to say… GHM is for everyone!

But, Armie Hammer is definitely the kind of guy I’d love to dress.

What is the sexiest garment for men and women?

Definitely white briefs! For both!

What shall we expect from you in the future?

I practice for the last couple of years because I want to running in the French running marathon for the 2024 Olympics Games in Paris. Apart from that, it’s more prudent to answer that you could expect to see nice clothes from me. Also, I am obsessed with accessories. This is something I’d like to explore in a near future.

What are the next trends?

We don’t care about trends! Love is the only thing really important.

How is the process of making clothes? What does it require?

Passion and patience! You don’t earn money in making clothes like I do. I’m working for a major French pret-a-porter brand, so I haven’t launched GHM for the money. I create my patterns and I’m sewing each garment when it’s ordered. It’s almost tailor made.

How do you feel when you see random people wearing your designs?

I feel proud and I’m never disappointed by people who are wearing GHM!

What would you design for your boyfriend? 

An accessory such as a french beret or a jockstrap… Blue, white and red of course! Vive la France!

What has been the weirdest request ever?

To dress a British guy with a French flag!

If you were not a fashion designer in Paris what else would you be?

Anna Wintour of course!

 

More of Gerald here:

Web: https://www.geraldhildebertmarceau.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geraldhildebertmarceau

 

*all images are courtesy of Gerald Hildebert Marceau