When Jacques Marie Mage announced its collaboration with Patti Smith, the reaction across the art and fashion communities was one of reverence. It was not just another partnership between a designer and a cultural icon—it was a convergence of philosophies.
“I really liked Jérôme’s vision of what a collaboration can be,” Smith explains. “We started it as a very joyful design project, which was all the more important because it’s very, very rare that I work with a brand. But we’re in sync on everything: the shape, the packaging, a few words written in my own hand, right down to the cleaning cloth, with a magnificent photo of wild horses that I gave him. For me, this collaboration has been like writing a song with another person, except that this time, it’s about our visual and design sense coming together to create something unusual. I hope people will like it.”
A Poet’s Lens
Few artists embody honesty and rebellion the way Patti Smith does. She turned music into literature, and literature into something you could feel. Her songs and books move between defiance and tenderness—always grounded in truth. There is nothing calculated about her work. It’s instinctive, curious, and completely her own.
This collaboration makes sense for that very reason. It isn’t about fashion or nostalgia. It’s about vision in the truest sense—how we see, how we keep looking, how we stay awake to the world. Or, as Smith herself puts it:
“Vision means seeing what others do not see.”
3. The Collection: Character Over Ornament
At the heart of Patti Smith for Jacques Marie Mage lies the Dealan—a frame inspired by the singular cat-eyed glasses worn by Bob Dylan during his 1965 tour of England. Reinterpreted by Smith, the Dealan now appears in three color stories: Cabaret Vert, Rayon Violet, and Mauvais Sang—each a nod to the 19th-century French poet Arthur Rimbaud, whose influence has guided both Dylan and Smith throughout their lives.
The collection reflects Smith’s spirit—refined yet raw, built on character rather than ornament. Each frame feels lived-in, more like a companion than an accessory.
Each limited edition is handcrafted in Japan, featuring sterling-silver arrowhead pins with bloodstone inlays, custom wire cores engraved with lyrics from Smith’s “Land,” and inner temples stamped with her handwritten signature. The presentation box includes a chapbook of lyrics and photography, a linen-wrapped case, and a lens cloth bearing her photograph of wild horses.
4. Beyond Fashion: Cultural Authenticity as Brand Strategy
Jacques Marie Mage’s collaboration with Smith underscores a vital lesson for luxury brands: authenticity is the most valuable currency in contemporary design. While many labels pursue celebrity partnerships, JMM’s approach is rooted in artistic alignment rather than marketing convenience.
For JMM, aligning with a figure like Patti Smith elevates the brand’s positioning from luxury eyewear house to cultural curator. For Smith, the project translates her lifelong artistic sensibility into an object that embodies seeing—literally and metaphorically.
In a market defined by ephemeral trends, Patti Smith for JMM achieves rarity not merely through limited production, but through emotional resonance.
5. A Vision for the Future
She makes being honest feel powerful. She reminds us that art doesn’t need perfection—only presence. Her partnership with Jacques Marie Mage reveals a shared belief that objects can carry soul; that design, at its best, can be poetry made tangible.
The Patti Smith for Jacques Marie Mage collection is available at JacquesMarieMage.com, JMM Galleries, and select global retailers.
