When visiting Serge Gainsbourg’s former home in Paris, you’ll come across a small glass-walled placard that barely qualifies as a wardrobe. It’s more like a cubby where the French singer kept his clothes.
The house, located on 5 bis Rue de Verneuil in Saint Germain, Paris, has become a place of pilgrimage for fans who decorate the walls outside. Recently, the home has been reopened alongside a neighboring property as part of the Maison Gainsbourg. Preserved exactly as it was in 1991, the year of Gainsbourg’s death, the house now functions as a mausoleum. His cigarette butts still sit in the ashtray, and his fridge still holds his cans of food. The wardrobe, in particular, provides an intimate glimpse into his life. The floor is covered in pairs of white Repettos, and each shoe bears the imprint of his feet.
Gainsbourg’s wardrobe could easily fit into a small suitcase. It consists of five shirts, a few T-shirts worn under a blazer to achieve a bare-chested look, one perfecto biker’s jacket, one peacoat, and 20 pairs of the famous “Zizi” shoes. He acquired his notable pinstripe blazer during a trip to Portobello Road Market in London and wore it despite the fraying sleeves and holes along the seams. In the gift shop, visitors can purchase a pristine replica of the blazer, designed by Saint Laurent, for around €2,000. The shop also offers versions of Gainsbourg’s denim shirt.
It’s astonishing that someone who has become the epitome of stylish dressing owned so few clothes. Before you argue that you can also count the contents of your wardrobe on your fingers, remember that Serge Gainsbourg is still regarded as a Style Icon. While you may only have a few worn-out trousers and a handful of cotton shirts, are you a reference point for numerous designers? Are you a symbol of timeless style?
What makes Gainsbourg’s wardrobe so impressive is his unwavering commitment to a specific look. He perfected the silhouette, the textiles, and the basic garments, wearing them until they were no longer wearable.
Some individuals have a natural instinct for finding shapes that suit them and understanding the perfect “line”. Gainsbourg’s French background played a role in this, as sartorial nonchalance is ingrained in the nation’s culture, and everyone knows how to tie a scarf. However, Gainsbourg’s style evolution didn’t happen overnight. According to the museum’s curator, it was Jane Birkin, Gainsbourg’s long-time partner, who helped shape his iconic look. The English singer and child of the Sixties counterculture introduced him to the Zizi shoes, encouraged him to ditch the socks, and ripped his jeans.
Gainsbourg exemplifies the idea that one doesn’t need a large wardrobe to look good; they simply need to choose their clothes wisely. While some men may not embrace dance shoes, all other garments in Gainsbourg’s wardrobe still exude effortless modernity and style to this day. I wasn’t a huge fan before visiting Rue de Verneuil, but the experience added an additional layer of glamour to his legend that has stayed with me.
Style is a perplexing puzzle. Some people can be stylish and wear fashionable clothes, but possessing true style is a rare gift. Gainsbourg had it, and Birkin had it in abundance. She had a magic touch that elevated even the most ordinary items. I believe her style was based on her attention to proportion, ensuring everything she wore created the perfect silhouette. Some may argue that her thin frame and angelic face made her look good in anything, but personal style isn’t necessarily tied to beauty. Many incredibly beautiful actors and celebrities have made mind-boggling fashion choices. Real style encompasses charisma, self-confidence, and a hint of sex appeal.
In contrast, I recently took a peek into another wardrobe – that of David Beckham – in his new Netflix documentary series. The former footballer showcases his expansive Cotswolds home, complete with an opulent wardrobe. Beckham represents the polar opposite of personal style, embracing fashion since his first paycheck. His wardrobe is as vast as Gainsbourg’s is minuscule. It’s also meticulously organized, resembling the precision of the Chanel show at the V&A museum. Shirts are neatly arranged alongside knits, organized by color in a graduated order. Another section is filled with suits. Beckham is so detail-oriented that he can sense even the faintest disturbance, murmuring, “Oh, someone’s been in here,” as he adjusts a hanger as if it were a wiretap discovered by the CIA.
© Netflix/BACKGRID
Although Beckham’s wardrobe is stunning, it also reveals that he perhaps hasn’t yet defined his personal style. Like many people, he adopts different “costumes” depending on the setting. In the countryside, he wears country knits and flat caps, while by his LA pool, he lounges in West Coast-bro T-shirts and athleisure wear.
Perhaps his ever-changing wardrobe reflects the sense of displacement he experienced after retiring from football. When the one garment that defined you for decades is no longer part of your identity, you start trying on various looks to find a new sense of self. I can relate to this spirit, not because I have an excessive amount of clothes, but because it takes courage to maintain a consistent style throughout one’s life.
Gainsbourg’s identity was shaped early on – a rambunctious character, a singer, a sexual icon. Ultimately, his look consumed him, leading to years of excessive drinking and public humiliations where he no longer looked good. The shirts served as an icon, but they also trapped him in a persona that became unsustainable. Maybe the secret to style lies in making small evolutions, both in spirit and in fashion choices.
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