Japan: Having established his own riding brand on Japanese racing, champion jockey Christophe Lemaire is about to follow up with his own fashion brand.
Taking his cue from famous French fashion houses such as Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent, the Frenchman has announced he will launch his own label, CL by C Lemaire, during April.
The name, using Lemaire’s initials, avoids any confusion with the identically named Christophe Lemaire, who is also a French fashion designer, but no relation.
“I've always loved fashion since I was little,” he said in an interview with fashion website WWD. “I often visited the racetrack with my father, who was a jockey. The racetrack is also a social gathering place, so even children will follow the dress code. Wear a blazer, a tie, and shiny polished shoes. I feel that this experience has awakened me to fashion.”
Since becoming a successful jockey, Lemaire – who has won the last five Japan Racing Association jockeys’ championships – said he had spent a lot of money on fashion and now wanted to produce his own apparel, using local manufacturers “to give something back to Japan”.
He added: “I want to connect horse racing and the streets and spread the fun and depth of horse racing to as many people as possible,” he said. “All of the clothes are inspired by the racing clothes that jockeys wear in races.
“Basketball and other items are closely related to street fashion, and are familiar to people who do not play basketball. I wish horse racing could be the same.
“With the concept of ‘street jockey’, we aimed to get in touch with the culture of horse racing through clothes. I want people who like fashion to wear it as well as horse racing fans.”
• Visit the Japan Racing Association website
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