Trousers, ballet shoes and a sweater make for the quintessential Paris look. Throw on a scarf and a leather jacket and you're on your way to nailing the elusive French style. Think Ines de la Fressange, Audrey Tatou and Vanessa Pardis.
While Lanvin, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior are the forefathers of Parisian chic, the style scene at the French capital is taking a slight turn with designers Isabel Marant, Sonia Rykiel and Vanessa Bruno redefining fashion rules. Vogue.in lets you in on five Parisian designers you should know about.
Known for their rock chic style, Balmain was founded back in 1945 by Pierre Balmain. The fashion house has a fan following amongst the young Hollywood glitterati including Mila Kudnis, Kirsten Stewart and Zoe Saldana. The brand under its new Creative Director, Olivier Rousteing has plans to launch a diffusion line in December.
The 81-year old designer launched her first stand-alone store in 1968 and quickly became famous for her striped sweaters. Rykiel’s first designs exposed the seams of dresses which was a complete opposite of the tailored looks other designers were showcasing. Her style can best be described as eccentric with a touch of glamour. So renowned is her take of Parisian chic, that Café de Flore in Paris has named a sandwich after her. In 2007, Sonia's daughter Nathalie Rykiel succeeded her as the President of the company.
Marant started off as a jewellery designer and has worked with designers Yohji Yamamoto and Chloe before venturing into her own namesake brand. Her designs are a mix of nonchalance, ethnic bohemia and tomboy chic and have gained her a reputation amongst Alexa Chung and Katie Holmes.
With a minimalist approach, Bruno’s strength lies in clever tailoring. She launched her label at the age of 24 and has stars like Nicole Kidman and Charlotte Gainsbourg seen sporting her designs.
Best known for the edgy daily wear, designers Laurent and Arik Bitton launched the brand in 2004 and have become the current favourites of Rihanna, Anne Hathaway, and Ginnifer Goodwin who have been spotted in the brand’s staples.