摸摸厚身的布料、柔軟而溫暖，對炎熱的夏天來說，卻是帶點刺熱的觸感。在某年夏天，穿上長袖衛衣的Agnès無法忍受炎熱的天氣，於是她拿起剪刀，剪開經常穿的白色棉質衛衣的前幅，然後縫上一排珍珠般的鈕扣，改造成一件開胸外套。筆直的剪裁配上圓領，密密的鈕扣排列有致，猶如一件文藝復興時期的衣服或是祭司的長袍般，帶點古典又浪漫的味道。後來，Agnès在袖口及腰間車上可調節鬆緊的搭帶，令穿者可隨身型或喜好改變外套的輪廓，貫徹簡約舒適的特質，成為了品牌Agnès b.標誌性的產品Snap Cardigan。
Agnès曾說過：「I’ve no time to shop, I’m greedy for life」，對生命充滿熱情的人，時間總是不夠用，因為他們總是想知道更多；時裝是Agnès生命裡重要的一部分，她認為需要的衣服不用很多，而是講求質量，以及擁有屬於自己的感覺。Agnès相信時裝不存在限制，配襯也是沒有固定的規則，Snap Cardigan看來簡潔平實、沒有多餘的裝飾，卻能讓每個人的獨特個性自然地展露出來。
Snap Cardigan自1979年誕生以來，Agnès堅持每一件都在法國製造，款式則是不斷地改變，闊身的、短身的、印上圖案的、改成皮革物料、加上鍋釘或是改成長裙等，以不同的剪裁和輪廓呈現。1986年，Agnès為Snap Cardigan舉行了展覽，邀請了Jean-Baptiste Mondino、 Steven Silverstein等64位攝影師拍下Snap Cardigan不同的面貌，並於Agnès b.首間現代藝術館The Galerie du Jour展出。在鏡頭下的Snap Cardigan，簡樸中散發著光芒，展示了不同的風格和可能性，成為了巴黎時尚的象徵。
來到Snap Cardigan誕生的40周年，品牌推出一系列的慶祝活動，包括邀請舞蹈員、 設計師和音樂家等演繹他們的Snap Cardigan；今年秋冬季的時裝表演中，換上新色的Snap Cardigan在層次配襯中注入了活力，一如Agnès為系列寫下的注腳：「Keep dancing, keep singing, have a good drink and do not get too serious」。
穿自己喜歡的服裝、做自己喜歡的事，那就是最好的生活。
The fabric is thick, soft, and warm. This sounds very nice until you try to wear it on a hot summer day. One a heated day in summer, Agnès b finally felt the long sleeve sweater she put on unbearable, so she took out a pair of scissors and cut open the front of her white cotton sweater. Then she placed a row of pearl-like press studs on one of the open edges to turn the sweater into a cardigan. The boxy shape, the crew neck, and the neatly aligned studs give the cardigan a renaissance touch. The fit somehow looks like clerical clothing, with a design that makes it classic and romantic. Agnès, later on, modified her design by adding adjustable press stud tabs to the cuffs and the waistline. With this, the cardigan can be easily adjusted to fit different body shapes and occasions. This classic Snap Cardigan that is extraordinarily comfy to wear has naturally become one of the iconic products of Agnès b.
Agnès once said, “I’ve no time to shop – I’m greedy for life!” Time is always too little to people full of passion, as they have a need to satisfy their curiosity. Fashion is essential to Agnès. To her, quality prevails quantity; the most important thing is to get fashion items that suit one’s personality. Agnès believes fashion is boundless, and there should not be any rules for mix and match. The Snap Cardigan looks simple without unnecessary ornaments, but it can reveal the uniqueness of each individual.
Ever since the Snap Cadigan was introduced in 1979, Agnès has always insisted on having it manufactured in France. One thing that has been altered along the year is the design. The brand has tried wide-fit, cropped, printed, with leather material, different studs. The brand even tried giving the snap design a remake by turning it into a dress or a skirt. In the Snap Cardigan exhibition held by Agnès b in 1986, 64 photographers including Jean-Baptiste Mondino and Steven Silverstein were invited to shoot the different faces of Snap Cardigan. The photographs were showcased in Galerie du Jour, the first Agnès b Contemporary art museum. The Snap Cardigan appears minimal but charming under the lens. The cardigan has demonstrated many different styles and its unlimited potential, it is not difficult to understand why has it become an icon of Paris fashion.
Coming to the 40th anniversary of Snap Cardigan, the brand has prepared a series of celebratory events: choreographers, designers, and musicians were invited to interpret their own Snap Cardigans, new colors were launched in the brand’s F/W show. Agnès’s statement for the new season — “Keep dancing, keep singing, have a good drink and do not get too serious” — can be well connected to the image of the rejuvenated Snap Cardigan.
Wear what you like, do what you want; this is the best life one can ever live.
Agnès b snap cardigan $1,590
Agnès b RUE DE MARSEILLE G26, K11 Mall, 18 Hanoi Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong 3122 4282
