Luxury labels to watch: 5 Young Parisian womenswear brands to know
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In Paris, the fashion scene is renewing itself and in recent seasons has seen the emergence of luxury brands with promising futures. Crystal applications, lace work or silhouettes with practical elegance, the designers combine luxury with multiple, always ultra-modern style palettes. But what are their plans for 2023, their bestsellers and where are they sold? Here are the five names to keep your eye on next year.
Minuit
Before launching her luxury women's ready-to-wear label in September 2020, Laurie Arbellot studied at Studio Berçot and worked at several fashion houses such as Balenciaga and Proenza Schouler. Her time in New York and her Parisian training contribute to Minuit's chic style tinged with sportswear accents.
The young label presented its spring/summer 2023 line as part of the official Paris Fashion Week calendar. This Parisian brand offers two collections per year and counts two leather pieces among its bestsellers: its Tomboy trousers in metallic leather and a patent leather jacket called Automoto. Its items are sold in shops from 90 euros for small accessories to 2,500 euros for a signature silk organza dress.
The brand is based in Paris and has an e-shop. Its network of retailers includes La Samaritaine and Printemps Haussmann in Paris, Harvey Nichols in Dubai, Kirna Zabete in New York and La Rinascente in Milan. The opening of its own shop in Paris is one of its future projects.
Boutet Solanes
Constance Boutet, aka Coco Boutet, was recently appointed artistic director of the French brand Zapa and, together with photographer Jose Maria Solanes, founded the Boutet Solanes label in 2020. A graduate of the Esmod school, the designer cut her teeth at the luxury group LVMH and worked at Celine, under the direction of Phoebe Philo.
Boutet Solanes stands out with pieces of practical elegance and has made its suits its best-sellers. Its spring/summer 2023 collection, inspired by stones and minerals, was presented as part of the official Paris Fashion Week calendar.
Based in Paris, the brand will launch its e-commerce site in February 2023 and so far has a wholesale network developed only in North America. It creates two collections a year and offers a boutique price of between 190 euros and 3,200 euros.
The Irish Twin
The Irish Twin is the youngest brand on our list. Launched in 2022, this newcomer to French luxury offers Parisian artisanal production under the direction of founder Jill Bauwens, former women's creative director of ready-to-wear brand The Kooples.
The Irish Twin's flamboyantly accented pieces are based around a “host wear” wardrobe – chic and glamorous – with a "joie de vivre" spirit. Among the current collection are: an emerald green satin midi dress adorned with crystals (a bestseller of the moment) or a linen mini-dress with an open back.
The release of the collections does not follow a precise schedule. Jill Bauwens creates according to her "desires and desires", she explained over message. Distributed only on the e-shop – but with a pop-up in London planned for 2023 – the pieces range from 650 euros for a satin crop-top to 1,450 euros for a dress. A line of accessories has also been developed and is one of the brand's bestsellers: it consists of large bows to clip onto a bodice and hair accessories. They sell for between 110 euros and 250 euros.
Vaillant
Coming from the creative studios of the houses Jean-Paul Gaultier and Nina Ricci, designer Alice Vaillant launched her eponymous brand in 2019 and created her first collection in September 2020 for the spring/summer 2021 season. This first show received significant press coverage and made the label a brand to watch. Among its plans for 2023: the house announced its participation in the Andam competition, a runway show in February and a collaboration with shoe brand Nodaleto.
Vaillant's delicate, feminine fashion stands out for its signature lace work. Its bestseller is in fact a deconstructed lace top inspired by lingerie and sold for 425 euros on its e-shop. Its retail price range is between 170 euros for underwear pieces and 2,500 euros for a leather coat.
Vaillant offers two main collections a year and launched two capsules in 2022. In 2023, the Parisian label will launch two collections as well as two pre-collections. Next to its e-shop – for which 80 percent of the clientele is American – it is also sold on the Ssense platform, at H Lorenzo (in Los Angeles), Centre Commercial (in Paris) and even Norgattan (in Italy). Vaillant does not yet have its own shop but in December it organised a pop-up store in the Printemps shop in Paris. The house says by email that it has quadrupled its turnover between 2021 and 2022 and specifies that that of 2023 is already equal to that of 2022.
Pressiat
Founded by Frenchman Vincent Garnier Pressiat in 2020, Pressiat is one of the young French brands highlighted in season 3 of the hit series Emily in Paris. It features a mixed wardrobe with a rock and romantic aesthetic and has made the corset and leotard its bestsellers. The brand plans to launch a line of one-off pieces in 2023, a series of NFTs and will host a cabaret night.
Included in the official Paris Fashion Week calendar, Pressiat offers two pre-collections and two presentations per year. It will soon open its e-commerce site and so far has a wholesale network consisting of the following boutiques: H lorenzo (in Los Angeles), Notre (in Chicago), La Collection Particulière, Printemps and Elevastor (in Paris) and Cachemir (in Japon). Its price range is between 400 and 1,800 euros.
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