An unusual location for the Project X Paris new collection photoshoot

Last week the Project X Paris team organized its photoshoot at the abandoned site of the Sanatorium of Aincourt, a former hospital that treated patients with tuberculosis. This establishment, built in 1929 and closed in the early 1990s, experienced several epidemics; during World War II it was used as a prison (about 1500 prisoners, men and women, were deported to the Auschwitz concentration camps). In the 1970s the hospital was restored following the initiative of its director, passionate about zen gardens. He created a real Japanese garden, with waterfalls and small bridges, to purify this place. In short, at that time, the sanatorium did not look at all like what it has become today.

After the closure, due to insufficient income, the sanatorium was completely abandoned. In 10 years, only the remains of a hospital that saw many tuberculosis patients remain. Even today, between the long corridors and rooms littered with shards of glass, you can feel the history of this place full of suffering. This place attracts many paranormal fans: in this old hospital where so much misfortune happened, you wouldn’t be surprised to see strange things appear...

But the hospital’s closure was, in fact, its rebirth. Hard to access, it has become one of the attractive sites for street artists, urban explorers (UBREX) as well as artists like DRY, Youssoupha, Sébastien Agius who shot their videos here.

The artistic director of Project X Paris chose these premises for the new collection photoshoot because the underground spirit of this mysterious place was well in line with the brand’s philosophy: young, dynamic, created for those who do not hesitate to follow their own codes.