Purple Magazine
— The Revolutions Issue #40 F/W 2023
fashion faction
interview
with Designer Nix Lecourt Mansion
by Olivier Zahm & Aleph Molinari
photography by Sarah Makharine
The convergence of art and fashion sparks a revolutionary moment, empowering creatives to reshape social boundaries in pursuit of a more promising world.
Soichi inagaki at art partner, hair
Bea Sweet at CLM Agency, make-up
Karolina Burlikowska, photographer’s assistant
Kerry Danson, production
PURPLE — You’re bold in the way you dress and even in the way you pose nude. As a trans person, how does this show the power of your body? Do you feel empowered and liberated, or is it a political statement, different from cis women who may use their bodies to attract people?
NIX — That bold style and the power of my body are related. In some ways, I work my silhouette with clothes or by going to the gym so that I can have the confidence to wear whatever I feel like. If that makes it a sexy look, so be it. It’s not about empowerment or seduction — I already feel in power. It’s about aligning my appearance with my way of thinking. That’s what makes people sexy and attractive: confidence. I also think that clothes need to be A+ for comfort. In terms of photography, when you’re seen through a good lens and frame — as with Sarah Makharine, who shot me naked — it can be comfortable even when you are naked.
PURPLE — How does your nonbinary identity influence and shape your fashion choices and design creativity?
NIX — Today, I am a transgender/transexual woman so I wouldn’t identify as nonbinary anymore; it wouldn’t be semantically correct. I don’t feel like a man and never did, but masculinity inspires my style. I love menswear, men’s tailoring, and I wear a lot of it. I like men’s jewelry and watches. I like racing cars. Maybe we could call that having nonbinary taste. We all have a part of “masculine” and “feminine.” Maybe what makes me different is that I’m a woman born in an androgynous body with masculine attributes and therefore have the two visions of what you’re taught growing up. It has influenced my craft and my vision, for sure.
PURPLE — Which past designers influence your style?
NIX — I’m very influenced by the history of fashion on a large spectrum. On my mood boards, you can find design references to Madame Grès, Madeleine Vionnet, and Charles Worth, mixed with contemporary designers like Jean Paul Gaultier, Martin Margiela, Azzedine Alaïa, and Alexander McQueen. But the designer I admire the most is Alaïa because his work is, for me, the epitome of modern fashion, and his legacy is both technical and artistic.
PURPLE — Who in your community or outside of it inspires your creativity today?
NIX — I think everyone agrees that Rihanna is a great fashion icon, and she inspires everyone with her fearlessness and stay-true-to-self attitude. That’s the essence of fashion and style. I’m inspired by this fearlessness, which I can find in other girls in the community, like Raya Martigny, Thee Dian, Hunter Schafer, and others.
PURPLE — Do you believe that fashion design has the power to disrupt the norm, to change the system?
NIX — I think fashion is a reflection of the present time and its politics, and, as such, it has the power to spread ideas and thus disrupt. For me, fashion is art, and this creates a conversation, in the sense that clothes are often political and show what the boundaries are in society. Creativity and style generate influence and admiration, as well as disagreements and rejection. Also, fashion is a platform of visibility for artists and what they create and represent. Therefore, fashion can disrupt norms with clothing, in the same way that painting or photography can.
PURPLE — Do you think a world without gender is possible?
NIX — I’m hoping for a world in which gender is not a problem or a subject to be talked about that much. As a designer, I get asked more about it than about crafts or actual fashion. I think the representation of gender is important, especially when we’re speaking about invisible communities like LGBTQI+. But what’s most important is the deconstruction of gender itself. Masculinity and femininity aren’t norms and aren’t unique — which makes gender irrelevant.
PURPLE — You’re a big part of the nightlife in Paris. Is this just for your own enjoyment, or do you see alternative opportunities in the nightlife scene?
NIX — Nightlife is my comfort zone. That’s where I’ve met the people who have become my chosen family and where I can express myself freely and genuinely. I think it’s the way you get most inspired and inspire others, by being open-minded and honest. Nightlife makes the world a better place to live in.
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