“How to dress like a Parisian” is one of our most popular posts, so I thought that I would share 5 French brands you should know about with you today.

Before, I go into any detail though, I would just like to say there are lots more than 5 French brands you should know about, and I’m briefly going to give you a list of a few others at the end of the post.

However, the 5 brands I am sharing here are just my personal favourites and where I shop the most. This is not a sponsored post and all the outfits featured were purchased either in store or online by me.

5 French Brands you should know about

Sézane

Sézane was created in 2013 by Morgane Sézalory , who started her online journey by selling vintage finds on eBay and, in a matter of years, turned it into her hugely popular brand, which epitomises French chic.

She had a love of vintage clothing and she started by customising her vintage finds and selling these online with the brand name “Les Composantes”, and in 2013 she complemented these pieces with her own design and Sézane was born!

What distinguished her brand from its contemporaries, such as Maje and Sandro, was the fact that it was only available online (in fact, it was the first label in France to launch an online store), which enabled Sézalory to offer quality pieces at accessible prices. The brand is committed to ethical working practices and sustainability.

French brands you should know about
top by Sezane

French brands you should know about
Cardigan by Sezane

Sézane opened its first bricks and mortar store, “L’Appartement” in Paris, open from Tuesday to Saturday, in 2015 and has subsequently opened stores in Notting Hill, London, New York and Aix-en Provence, and of course, you can still purchase online!

Fashion brands french women love

In 2017, “Demain” was born, a charity program to support equal opportunities for children all around the world, and the brand also has a charity shop in Paris (opened in 2018), where lovers of the brand can purchase items from photo shoots and fittings at reduced prices and all the proceeds go to the “Demain” program.  

BA&SH

A shared love for fashion and a close friendship led to the launch of French lifestyle brand ba&sh, 17 years ago. Best friends Barbara Boccara and Sharon Krief took the leap in 2003, and with no formal fashion training, they established their brand, ba&sh (the name derives from the first letters of their first names if you hadn’t already worked it out!).

French brands you should know about
Skirt by Ba&sh

Their idea was based on bringing their dream wardrobe to life so that they could share it with women all over the world, and it is truly a brand created “by women for women.”

The signature style is a mix of their own personal aesthetics, a floaty bohemian with a touch of rock and roll, and their timeless, effortless and yet still chic collections capture the understated elegance of Parisian style perfectly.

They are now stocked in over 400 stores internationally, including the UK and the US, as well as online, offering women worldwide a timeless, wardrobe, combining the right balance of femininity and sophistication for every occasion.

Sandro and Maje

So, I realise that this is actually two brands, but as the brands were created by sisters and are now owned by the same parent company, I figured that it was OK to talk about them together.

The brands are the brainchilds of sisters, Evelyne Chetrite (Sandro) and Judith Milgrom (Maje).  Both have been fashion-obsessed since growing up in Rabat, Morocco, and Chetrite, the elder sister, led the way into the fashion business after the family moved to Paris when she was 15 and her sister 10.

Brands French Women love
Skirt by Sandro, top by Sézane

French brands you should know about
Jacket by Sandro

Chetrite, launched Sandro, with her now husband, Didier Chetrite in 1984. Their first boutique was opened in the heart of the Marais area in Paris, and enjoyed instant success.

French brands you should know about
Jacket by Maje

Milgrom spent her summers working for her sister from the age of 16, and in 1998 Maje was born.

Fashio Brands French Women Love
Coat from Maje

Both Sandro and Maje are brands for active women who want to be able to transition seamlessly from a day in the office to an evening out without changing their clothes in between, and both epitomise effortless Parisian chic.

Sandro is more androgynous and a bit more sporty, while the Maje style is more feminine and colourful.

Carrol

Carrol has a slightly different background to the previous brands, and was initially launched in France by Raphaël Levy and Joseph Bigio, over 50 years ago in the niche knitwear market.

It transitioned to “ready to wear” in the 1980s and in 1997 Caroll opened internationally with its first shop in Spain, and is now present in 13 countries (France, Monaco, Andorra, Luxembourg, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia, Liban and China) with 490 shops.

French brands you should know about
Dress by Carrol

French brands you should know about
Jacket by Carrol

Dress by Carrol

Caroll is synonomous with effortless chic style, and takes special care in the choice of materials and finishes, for fair and well thought-out products and impeccably cut silhouettes.

Caroll supports the association “Toutes à l’école”; which provides education to girls in Cambodia, as well as support to their families.

Les Petites

Created in 1992 by Isabelle Benichou, the brand Les Petites (no longer available online) is one of my favourite French brands, and offers timeless, feminine pieces inspired by Parisian street style. Isabelle believes that the Parisian woman’s wardrobe is a reflection of her personality : contemporary, sensual, elegant and chic.

French brands you should know about
Skirt by Les Petites

Culotte skirt by Les Petite

French brands you should know about
Dress/ Duster by Les Petites

Signature features of the brand include delicate materials, lace, unusual cuts and collections full of beautiful and vivid colours. Their hallmark is the attention they pay to detail.

Other French Brands you should know about and some of which I’m sure you already do!

  • Rouje, launched in 2016 by Jeanne Damas (here)
  • Claudie Pierlot, created by Claudie Pierlot in 1984 (here)
  • Musier, created in March 2018 by Anne-Laure Mais (here)
  • Jacquemus, created in 2009 by Simon Porte Jacquemus (here)
  • Isabel Marrant, created in 1995 by Isabel Marrant (here)
  • The Kooples , founded by brothers Alexandre, Laurent and Raphaël Elicha in 2008 (here )
  • Zadig & Voltaire, created in 1997 by Thierry Gillier (here)
  • Sessun, founded in 1996 by Emma François (here)
  • Antonelle, created in 1988 in Paris (here)
  • Comptoir des Cotonniers, created in 1995 (here)

And, of course, there are all the designer French brands that are renowned for their Parisian chic, such as :

Reading back through this, I’ve just realised how lucky I am to live in France! However, you can get most of the brands online and worldwide.

I hope you enjoyed this post about 5 French brands you should know about and have a look here for more style inspiration.

I will be back soon with more style, lifestyle and travel inspiration and don’t forget to subscribe to the blog below to make sure you never miss a post,

 

 

With love,