A Conversation With Designer Wisnel Milien Following His First Couture Show

Let's begin by discussing the space for the show. This collaboration with Junior Fritz Jacquet—could you elaborate on how the set design came about and its significance?

Yes, seeing the space is one thing, but knowing the story behind it is another. I didn’t know Junior before, we met a few months ago, this past summer, after my last SS24 collection release. We held a big event with an immersive pop-up store, and he heard about it. A mutual friend, Ricardo, introduced us at SoHouse. We saw each other’s work and immediately knew we needed to collaborate. We planned to meet for coffee, but I left for vacation in the South of France, and by the time I returned, he had left, so we never got the chance. A few months later, after launching my AW24 collection in November, he reached out again and suggested we finally meet. It was then that he brought me to this space, which was completely empty at the time. He shared his idea of an exhibition focused on the ocean, which perfectly aligned with what I wanted to do. Initially, I didn’t plan to hold a show—I was considering an exhibition instead since we had just done a digital show for the previous collection. I didn’t want my team to be exhausted from back-to-back physical shows. However, once I saw the space, we decided to collaborate and create something immersive together.

This project took three months of installation with a team of 20 people handling everything from lighting to construction. After Copenhagen Fashion Week, I returned and had only a month left. This space was ideal because this next collection is incredibly important to me—something I’ve been working on for over a year and a half. It’s called the Anthropocene Collection, exploring human impact on the world. The central question is: how can designers, artists, and creatives pursue their dreams without erasing the dreams of future generations?

The collection we've just shown is the first building block for what's to come, the foundation. Water is the beginning of life, so using this space as an introduction made perfect sense. Junior and I share a similar creative mindset, we work quickly and therefore connected instantly. This is our first collaboration, and hopefully, the next will take place in September, featuring both an exhibition and a show once again.

The space is massive, and the atelier is also located here. Many designers in Paris work in small, cramped studios, sometimes even in their own living spaces. How did you acquire such a large workspace?

This is part of the collaboration. The agreement was to share the space, and I wanted my team to be fully immersed in the environment, knowing it would be an intense process. We have an atelier in the third arrondissement where the clothes are made, but for one month, we moved as many machines as possible here.

Being in the same space made working on the installations, runway, choreography, and model fittings much more efficient. The synergy was perfect, and Junior’s team was also present, making collaboration seamless. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work in such a large space.

The set design has an oceanic theme, yet the collection itself is entirely black. Could you elaborate on this contrast?

I always aim to create an environment around my collections. My father always told me, “If you do something, do it fully.” So even when I had fewer resources, I pushed everything to the maximum within my means.

Junior enjoys working with colors, and it didn’t make sense to have an all-black ocean— it needed to reflect reality. However, in my own vision, I currently resonate with black. My last collection was almost entirely black, and this one follows suit. I design based on my feelings and preferences at the moment, and black is what speaks to me right now. That stark contrast between the vibrant space and the dark clothing is intentional.

Would you say working with an all-black collection allows you to focus more on silhouette and shape rather than color combinations?

Yes, but working with black is considerably more complex than it seems. Finding the right shade of black is crucial to ensure consistency across different fabrics. Mismatched blacks can disrupt the entire idea, so extensive fabric sourcing is required. Texture obviously also plays a significant role, while everything is black, layering different textures and incorporating jewelry helps create depth. Many assume working with black is the easy route, but in reality, it’s one of the most challenging ways to construct a collection.

How did you feel before and after the show?

Everything happened so fast. The backstage area was packed, and non-stop—last-minute fittings and preparations took up the whole day, ensuring everything to be ready. Around 8 PM, I stepped into the atelier to grab a final piece we were still working on and suddenly saw 100 people entering the hall. That’s when it hit me, it was happening.

My team called me, saying guests were inside and it was time to go. The show happened in an instant. Afterward, seeing the crowd and feeling the energy was overwhelming. I was incredibly proud of my team. The emotions were intense—stress, relief, excitement—all at once. I needed a few days to fully process everything. Now, looking back, I realize the importance of what we accomplished, and I’m truly happy and proud.

What was most important to you when designing this collection? What was the key idea?

This is a couture collection. I started with a streetwear brand when I was 19, but I realized I didn’t want to stay in that space. My goal is to eventually present at haute couture fashion week. In my previous collection, I introduced five couture pieces, entirely handmade. Unlike ready-to-wear, couture requires every detail to be crafted by hand.

For this collection, each piece has its own story—how it was designed, how it was brought to life, and where I envision it being worn. For example, one dress in the collection is a black draped gown with silver jewelry detailing. I spent 10 hours perfecting that single jewelry piece, melting and reshaping the metal until it was exactly right. I picture this dress at Cannes or the Met Gala.

This collection lays the foundation for integrating couture into my brand. I want to offer both ready-to-wear for everyday fashion and couture for unique, high-profile occasions.

How did your transition from running a streetwear brand at 19 to your current work happen? What changed, and what pushed you to evolve?

My first brand was called OG MOB, based in the South of France with a group of friends. We were into fashion—wearing Off-White, Raf Simons, and other designers—but I often looked at outfits and imagined how I would tweak or redesign them. I thought about it for a few weeks and decided to start my own line.

I didn’t know how to draw or how clothes were made. I was studying business management, not fashion. I designed three T-shirts, sourced an atelier without knowing anything about pattern-making, and began learning everything on the spot.

After a few small capsules, COVID hit, coinciding with my move to Paris in 2019. My goal was to immerse myself in the luxury market, so I worked at Sandro as a salesman. I’m someone who doesn’t wait for opportunities—I go after them. Two months into working at Sandro, I walked into Prada and asked to see the director. I told them I wanted to understand the luxury industry from the inside. They offered me an interview on the spot, and I got the job.

Although my background was in communication, marketing, and management, working in luxury retail helped me understand clothing quality, collection organization, and production processes. These experiences shaped my understanding of fashion beyond just design and helped me refine my vision for my own brand.

So during COVID, I worked for Prada, I then went to Moncler and participated in the grand opening of the Champs-Élysées store. With a background in textiles, the role of VIP stylist for high-profile clients was suggested to me which I accepted. After that, joined Off-White—a dream opportunity inspired by Virgil Abloh. Seeing someone like me, a black designer without formal training succeed was incredibly motivating. That example, combined with fearlessness, pushed experimentation. During the Off-White period, I've been holding off the idea of my own brand, focusing on extensively studying tailoring, pattern-making, and design. By 2021, a clear direction emerged, prompting the launch of a new brand.

I started developing a collection by revisiting archives from my previous brand. The first collection under the new label drew strong influence from earlier work. Initial designs leaned toward ready-to-wear and streetwear, as seen in collections like SS23. A prior collection, SS22, that is no longer featured on our social media was a crucial step in defining a focus on tailoring and volume. Subsequent collections emphasized storytelling—exploring Haitian heritage and introducing a new brand logo. AW24 advanced design further with couture elements, with this latest collection being purely couture, with the next one planned as a fusion of ready-to-wear and couture.

What is the importance of perception in design? There are designers who simply make clothes and others who infuse work with deeper meaning. Do you believe in the approach of telling the viewer, or the viewer creating his own perception?

Perception holds significant value. Although fashion design represents about half of the work, the practice extends into art through sculptures, installations, and paintings. I don't consider myself a fashion designer, I consider myself an artist. I can work on a photoshoot because I do like art direction for photoshoots. I can work on a painting, but the painting is gonna be a mix of paint and fabric because I love fabric. The brand originated as a collective creative hub for multiple art forms. When creating collections I think about what I would want to see or wear, the designs are based on my personal vision or concept and then offered for public interpretation. I always present the general idea and each person can experience it the way they choose to.

Do you have concerns over brand dilution when expanding? Perhaps getting lost in aligning all of the different artistic directions, especially due to commercialization.

I do not fear expansion. A clear blueprint defines all creative ventures, ensuring cohesive direction, the core message must remain intact, everything uplifts one idea, everything uplifts one direction.

Do you believe in seizing the right moment in an oversaturated market?

The right moment happens naturally. Strategies and timelines are set, and decisions follow instinct. For AW24, I consulted my team, the ideas were pitched, and the collection developed within a month and a half—campaign, digital show, e-commerce—all aligned perfectly. Any moment is right if you have the right team with the right skills. If there is an opportunity, seize it.

Please describe the importance of your team and the importance of support.

Support is essential. A team gives diverse perspectives and enhances ideas. Input from all team members, including those outside design, provides fresh insight. I always worked with a team. Even when I started the first collection, I was the only designer and director in terms of clothes, campaigns, and all the rest. But I had a lot of creative friends who were still part of the project. A different perspective can expand and globalize an initially smaller idea. It's really important to have a team that you trust. I understand how complicated it can feel to new designers to trust someone and to be able to delegate your vision to someone else, nevertheless, it's something I would strongly recommend.

I'm incredibly happy to have an amazing team that keeps me grounded at times, for example when I want to add like five looks to the collection one week before the show. They love my ideas, support me, and help me realize my ideas in the best, most compatible way.

Do you have an ultimate goal, if so what is it?

I don't want the brand to be just a fashion brand. That's not interesting to me. I believe we can go much further than that. There are still so many things to do in this world that we can do so much better. I'm originally from Haiti where a lot of turmoil and chaos has been happening since I left which is getting progressively worse. I wish to be in a position to be able to help my country and help the young people to dream and not merely survive, for them to be able to believe and work towards their dreams, especially in creative fields like the arts and fashion. Because a lot of these people in the countries that don't have the same advantages as us in Europe, the States, or other developed countries, therefore they can't afford the luxury of dreaming anymore. That's why the brand is not merely a fashion brand, it's also about representing my people. I didn't know that I could do it before I tried, I want to show that it is possible to succeed.

Could you give a little more background on growing up in Haiti?

I was born in October 1998 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, I spent my there childhood until 2009 when my parents moved to Paris to join our family members over here. I've been living in France for 16 years. Life in Haiti was beautiful, and I still long to go back. I vividly remember the first time watching someone sew clothes for church—my dad, a pastor, always needed proper attire, and that first glimpse left a strong impression. As we always needed clothes to go to church, visits to the couturier with my brother to pick fabrics and learn how to tie a proper tie are treasured memories for me. These experiences are at the heart of my brand. I would like to be able to go back there and reconnect when everything stabilizes. That's also one of my dreams.

Lastly, could you tell us about the first thing you ever designed?

The very first design wasn’t even clothing. As a kid in Haiti, my brother and I would get creative and we designed a canal in our garden using a shovel and water, pretending to be little architects. We would spend our whole day doing that until our mom would grow frustrated by what we were doing to our beautiful garden. When it comes to clothes, the first thing designed was a T-shirt. It seemed simple at first—no layers, no pockets, just a T-shirt, but perfecting the cut and fit turned out to be more challenging than expected. I also remember building a small structure, not quite a full cabin on a tree at my grandparents’ summer house with my brother. I reminisce over those moments to this day.

Thank you for sharing your story.

Thank you. It was a pleasure.