1991

JOSÉ LEVY

The name chosen by this former Esmod student for his label, ” José Lévy à Paris “, has everything to do with his style. Indeed, Lévy could only blossom as a designer in this capital of design, alive with childhood memories from the seventies and nostalgia for the fifties and the Paris captured by Robert Doisneau.
He presented his first collection for winter 1988-1989. Since then, the creative world of José Lévy has gained a following as a refreshing contrast to the traditional austerity of men’s clothing design.

At a time when everyone was wearing shoulder pads and the body-builder’s figure was the ideal, Lévy took men’s fashion in a new direction, infusing it with poetry and charm. Jose Levy was awarded ANDAM fellowship in 1991 and grand prix of the city of Paris in 1996 at a time when he was expanding his activities to include women’s fashion and accessories.

Within thirteen years, he has made his mark on the male fashion scene with his own label, José Lévy à Paris, and asserts himself as a one of a kind colorist as much as a sharp-eyed tailor. In the same breath, he collaborated with household names like Cacharel (1993-1994), Nina Ricci (1994-1996), Holland & Holland (1998-2001), Emanuel Ungaro (2004-2006), and design offices such as Mafia, Peciers or Nelly Rodi (1984 to 1990). Aiming to reach a larger audience, José Lévy also designed exclusive products for 3 Suisses, Woolmark, Japanese Jeans Group Edwin (1997-2000), Monoprix (1997-2002), La Redoute in 2003, , or André : a free spirit with an inquisitive, eclectic yet concentrated style.
Right from the early days of his career, he has also frequently lent his highly individual eye to collaborations with numerous artists -photographers and/or contemporary artists- like Jack Pierson, Gotscho, Nan Goldin, Parenno, Jean Pierre Khazem, The Kolkoz ; architects such as Xavier Gonzales, or musicians like Jay Jay Johanson and Benjamin Biolay-.

Since 2007, he dedicates himself fully to this crosswise creation in between plastic arts, design, scenography, interior design .

In January 2009, Emmanuel Perrotin’s Gallery exhibited “Oasis: Luconoctambul!” a personal show of his designs (furniture, luminaries…), participated to the group show “Carpet stories” at the ToolsGallery and was invited to the the scénography at Maxalto for DesignersDays . La Manufacture de Sèvres also exhibited a personal show “Mousse de Sèvres”, he designed MaPharmacie a pharmacy in Paris-Bastille.