Quick Q&A with Pierre P. Marchal of JPPM

It seems fitting that the first place I spotted Pierre P. Marchal’s would was on Instagram. It is his creative medium of choice. That also happened to be where Gucci’s newly appointed artistic director Alessandro Michele discovered the impressive never ending moodboard JPPM page. Clearly kindred spirits, the designer immediately reached out to Marchal to ask him personally to become one of the first artists to take part in Gucci’s initial viral Instagram collaboration #GUCCIGRAM. 

The resulting abstract floral collage instantly put Marchal’s interactive, colorful and highly creative moodboard on the fashion map. The JPPM Instagram feed is a labor of love for Marchal who, against the current rhythm of the industry, takes his time to find just the right photos to layer and melange on his feed so that they seamlessly flow from one impactful image to the next.

Besides the overall beauty of the work itself the fact that Marchal is highlighting and meticulously crediting each image he uses, thus promoting the oeuvre of other artists, makes his moodboard a positive force in collaborative artistic sampling. And from that feed was born JPPM Studio, which acts as digital art direction and curation to help fashion and art clients bring to life creative and innovative digital strategies.

Here the artist talks about how fashion has been a guiding force throughout his life, the plural nature of the JPPM Instagram feed and the real world floral nature of his latest endeavor. 

The JPPM Instagram Moodboard.

How did you first get interested in fashion?

When I was seven years old, I asked my great-grandmother to create bespoke dresses for my dolls. Then, when I was twelve I had an obsession with drawing heels and collections that I kept in my Moleskines. At nineteen years old, I started my studies at l’École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne which lead me to become a fashion editor for Harper’s Bazaar at 25 years old and finally to start JPPM a year later.

I think Fashion has somehow always been a guide in my life from the very beginning.

What made you finally decide to launch out on your own and create your own website?

I think I created JPPM  because I wanted to follow my digital vision and nothing similar was existing at that time. We luckily are a generation able to create our own job, so I did it.

At the very beginning when I launched JPPM, I was thinking of Instagram as a portal showing my way of connecting talents and inspirations. This is how the Never-Ending Moodboard idea started from @JPPM.fr . After almost three years, the process got more complex, more plural and even more exiting. I still consider NEMB as a window on Instagram and I also believe those years of work lead me everyday to try to synthesize the most inspiring images that I couldn’t discover on IG or on a square publication. The Never-Ending Moodboard is an open-air index of talents, all mixed together, giving a visual overview of a very special moment. In this space dedicated to images, I express myself by compiling and juxtaposing pictures to create a dialogue between them. It can be seen as a performative rendez-vous as I post a collage every day and a poem of the zeitgeist, mixing all the arts, all minds and imaginations.

Today, JPPM is a studio taking care of Digital Art Direction and Art Curation, curating talents and developing the creative strategy for many clients in the field of Fashion and Contemporary Art like @Carven_paris , @VillaNoailles , Adidas, Gucci , etc.. Plus, I recently opened an art gallery in le marais (@Portefoin.Paris) with two florists, where we sell amazing flowers and creations from contemporary artist that I believe in.

Collaboration between JPPM and GUCCI for #GUCCIGRAM

What was your big break?

Since the beginning of JPPM, two collaborations were a big break for me.

The first one was #GucciGram : I was really excited and honored when they contacted me for this free-reins collaboration to reinterpret Gucci’s iconic pattern. It was such a pleasure to see how Alessandro Michele and his great Social Media team could be visionary regarding the link between art and fashion. IG has been one of the main strategic challenges for brands in the following years, and Gucci was one of the first to get it.

The second project was the one with Hyères Fashion and Photography Festival: I created @Ever.Loading.Museum, a digital museum only available through Instagram, comprised of 12 different “digital rooms”. Each room had its own Instagram account (@1st.digital.room, @2nd.digital.room etc..) and features the work of one artist. So by clicking through it felt like you’re wandering through a (virtual) museum. Each room was meant to capture the artist’s inspirations and act as a window into his/her universe. It was a huge piece of work to select, interview, understand and translate their artistic process, and I am really proud of this exhibition showcasing a selection of my favorite artists.

Who inspires you?

I could make you a never-ending list of artists who have inspired my vision and my work, I am like a sponge for creativity: everything I see inspires my work.

I am very inspired by artists from the past, surrealist painter, and also contemporary artists from Helen Downie to Dubuffet passing by Christian Boltanski, Egon Schiele, Camille Vivier, Jeffrey Gibbson, Ossip Zadkine, Kelly Marie Beeman, Alexandre Benjamin Navet, Christina Zimpel, Emile Kirsh , Sarah Moon, Simon Callery , Pierre de Busschere, Pat McGrath, Mathieu Stone, Steven Meisel etc…

Also my inspirational/creative journey was made of meeting with incredible artists: One of the very first I met through Instagram and JPPM is Richard Haines who I deeply consider as my “digital godfather”, but there is also Alessandro Michele who trusted at the first sight, Serge Ruffieux whom I recently met and love to work with, Jean Pierre Blanc who supports me since my graduation diploma, Gill Button who became one of my closest friend and creative partner in crime. Besides loving their sharp and relevant artworks, they all helped, advised and supported me from the very beginning of JPPM.

On a daily routine I’m equally inspired by the drawings of an unknown young illustrator from the countryside in Peru or by the latest Viviane Sassen’s photo shoot.

Basically I am inspired by everyone whom is on the Never-Ending Moodboard of @jppm.fr .

The Everloading Museum

Who living or dead would you love to be able to have dinner with?

Dianna Vreeland and Tilda Swinton.

What is your favorite trip?

I really enjoy NYC, especially when I went there a few weeks ago, which was the first time in ages that I traveled there without working non-stop. This city is necessary for my creative balance, because I need to feel its blast of energy. Actually, it was even better since I was traveling with one of my closest friend with whom I share the exact same frenetic passion for vintage clothing and art safari. We went from Brooklyn Museum, looking at antic Egyptian amulets, to Michael Werner Gallery contemplating Peter Doig’s painting and passing hours by my favorites art places on earth : the New Museum and the Dia Beacon.

Live Digital Drawing on @JPPM.fr Instagram Story

When are you happiest?

During a weekend with my family and best friends at the seaside just drinking wine and arguing about society.

What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing?

I have trouble organizing myself with all my beloved clients.

What is your secret talent?

I do love cooking, especially Tarte Tatin.

What is your motto or the best piece of advice you ever got?

My motto is engraved on my Marla Aaron gold lock : « WORK YOUR DREAM WILL COME TRUE »

What emoji do you use the most?

My favorite emoji is  but the one I use the most is  ♥️✂️♥️, it is my trade JPPM trade mark . I use it to notify each person when I use their image on the moodboard.

What is the latest Instagram feed you decided to follow?

I will be a bit corporate here and say @Portefoin.paris. @portefoin.paris  is the gallery I opened with two talented florists on 5 Rue Portefoin 75003, in Paris. We sell unique an gorgeous bouquet of flowers and emerging contemporary art pieces. We do a new theme and vernissage every first Thursday of the month and there are fabulous pieces for at different price points..

Come and invest in the talents of tomorrow!

Jessica Michault

Jessica Michault is the Senior Vice President of industry relations at GPS Radar by Launchmetrics. She is also the editor-at-large for ODDA magazine and contributes to publications like the New York Times, the Business of Fashion, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Mixte magazine.