How to Pronounce Jacquemus (and Every Bag Name)

Jacquemus is pronounced “zhahk-MOOS”. Start with a soft French j, the sound in the middle of “measure”, say “zhahk”, let the middle e almost vanish, then land the stress on the last syllable, “MOOS”, with your lips rounded for the French u. It is the founder’s surname, and the name on the house behind the $980 Jacquemus Chiquito bag at Coveti.

Key facts

• Jacquemus is said “zhahk-MOOS”, in two syllables.
• The J is soft, like the “s” in “measure”, never the hard English j of “jack”.
• The “qu” is a plain k sound, with no “w” after it.
• The middle e is nearly silent, so the word has two beats, not three.
• The stress falls on the last syllable, as it does in most French words.
• The final s is sounded, so the word ends in a soft hiss.
• Jacquemus is the surname of founder Simon Porte Jacquemus, who started the house in Paris in 2009.

How do you pronounce Jacquemus?

Break the word into two parts: “zhahk” and “MOOS”. The first syllable opens with the soft French j, the same buzzing sound you hear in “measure”, “beige” and “garage”. Follow it with a short, open “ah”, then close on a crisp k. Do not add a “w”: in French, “qu” is simply k.

The second syllable carries the weight. The middle e in the spelling barely registers, so “zhahk” runs straight into “MOOS”. The vowel here is the French u, which has no exact English twin. To make it, say “ee”, hold your tongue where it is, then round your lips as if you were about to whistle. The result sits between “ee” and “oo”. If that feels awkward at first, “MOOS” with rounded lips is a close and widely understood English approximation. Finish with a light s.

Put together, it is “zhahk-MOOS”, with a little more force on the end. Say it slowly three times, then at normal speed, and it settles quickly.

The most common mispronunciations

“Jack-wee-mus”

This is a version you often hear in English. It reads the “qu” as the “kw” of “queen” and gives the middle e a full syllable of its own. Both habits come from English spelling rules. In French the “qu” is just k, and the e is almost swallowed, so the word shrinks from three beats to two.

“Jack-mus”

This one is closer, because it drops the extra syllable. The problems are the hard English j at the start, the flat English u in the middle of “mus”, and the stress on the first beat. Soften the j to “zh”, round the lips for the vowel, move the stress to the end, and “jack-mus” becomes “zhahk-MOOS”.

Where the name comes from

Jacquemus is not an invented brand word. It is the surname of the designer Simon Porte Jacquemus, who grew up in the south of France and founded his label in Paris in 2009. He named the house for his mother, Valérie, and her first name lives on in the bag called La Valérie. Because the name is a French family name, it follows French pronunciation rules throughout, which is why the soft j and the final stress matter.

The founder’s full name is said “see-MOHN pohrt zhahk-MOOS”. Simon in French ends on a nasal vowel, so the n is felt more than heard.

How to say the Jacquemus bag names

Most Jacquemus bags carry a French article, “le” for masculine names and “la” for feminine ones. “Le” is a short “luh”, and “la” is “lah”. Several names borrow from Italian and Spanish, but in the house’s own French they keep the French habit of a slightly stressed final syllable.

Le Chiquito

Say “luh shee-kee-TOH”. The “ch” is the soft “sh” of “shoe”, and the “qu” is again a plain k. This is the house’s tiny top-handle bag, and the Chiquito Bag in Black is $980 at Coveti.

Le Bambino

Say “luh bahm-bee-NOH”. The Bambino Grained Bag in Black is a 17.5 x 9 cm flap bag in grained calf leather, made in Italy, at $1,090. Its larger sibling, Le Grand Bambino, is “luh grahn bahm-bee-NOH”, with the d of “grand” left silent; at Coveti the Large Bambino Grained Bag in Black measures 23.5 x 13 cm. Our Jacquemus Bambino bag guide covers every size.

La Valérie

Say “lah vah-lay-REE”. The accented é is the “ay” sound, and the final e is silent. The Small Valérie Bag in Burgundy in grained goat leather is $1,990, and the full-size Valérie Bag in Burgundy, 32 x 20 x 11 cm in grained calf leather, is $2,470. Read more in our Jacquemus Valérie bag guide.

Le Turismo

Say “luh too-rees-MOH”, with the French u in the first syllable. The Long Turismo Bag in Burgundy is $1,990 at 33 x 18.5 x 11.5 cm, and the Small Turismo Bag in Orange and Brown Reindeer adds a croc-embossed suede reindeer motif at $1,990.

Le Rond Carré

Say “luh rohn kah-RAY”. “Rond” is a nasal vowel with a silent d, and “carré” ends on the bright “ay”. The name describes the sphere and cube clasps on the Rond Carré Bag in Midnight Brown, $1,680 in lamb nappa leather.

Le Salon and Le Bisou

Say “luh sah-LOHN” and “luh bee-ZOO”. The Salon Clutch in Burgundy is a 35 x 12 cm pouch in lamb leather at $1,840, and the Small Bisou Chaine Bag in Gold is $1,200 on a silver-tone chain. For every price in one place, see our Jacquemus bag price guide, and browse the full range of designer bags and clutch bags.

Who is Jacquemus?

Jacquemus is a French fashion house founded in Paris in 2009 by Simon Porte Jacquemus. The label is known for sculptural minimalism, exaggerated proportion and the light and landscape of Provence, where the designer grew up. Its bags range from the tiny Chiquito to roomy shoulder shapes, and the house has also worked with Nike, including on a version of the Nike Moon Shoe. For the full story, read who is Jacquemus, and for the wider bag line, our Jacquemus bags guide.

Frequently asked questions

How do you pronounce Jacquemus?

Jacquemus is pronounced “zhahk-MOOS”. Use a soft French j as in “measure”, treat “qu” as a plain k, let the middle e almost disappear, and stress the last syllable with your lips rounded for the French u.

Is the J in Jacquemus hard?

No. The J in Jacquemus is the soft French j, the “zh” sound heard in “measure” and “beige”. Saying it with the hard English j of “jack” is a common slip among English speakers.

Is it pronounced “jack-wee-mus”?

No. “Jack-wee-mus” applies English spelling rules to a French name. In French the “qu” is a plain k with no “w”, and the middle e is nearly silent, so the correct version has two syllables: “zhahk-MOOS”.

Is the s at the end of Jacquemus silent?

No. Unlike many French words, Jacquemus sounds its final s. The name ends with a light hiss, “zhahk-MOOS”, rather than trailing off on the vowel.

Why is the brand called Jacquemus?

Jacquemus is the surname of the founder, Simon Porte Jacquemus, who launched the house in Paris in 2009. He named the label for his mother, Valérie, whose first name is also given to La Valérie bag.

How do you pronounce Le Chiquito?

Le Chiquito is pronounced “luh shee-kee-TOH”. The “ch” is the soft “sh” of “shoe”, the “qu” is a plain k, and the stress falls gently on the last syllable. At Coveti the Chiquito starts at $980.

How do you pronounce Rond Carré?

Rond Carré is pronounced “rohn kah-RAY”. The d in “rond” is silent and the vowel is nasal, while “carré” ends on a clear “ay”. The name means “round square”, after the sphere and cube clasps.

How do you pronounce Valérie?

Valérie is pronounced “vah-lay-REE”, with the accented é said as “ay” and the final e silent. With the article it becomes “lah vah-lay-REE”, the name of the Jacquemus folded bag.