The Portrait of Ines de la Fressange
Ines de la Fressange is the icon and symbol of Parisian style, she is a figure of French fashion and is one of the most famous women in France.
Ines de la Fressange embodies a form of joyful luxury, natural elegance and relaxed chic that the world has dubbed “effortless chic”.
A model at 17, she quickly became one of the most talented and famous models in the world, walking the international catwalks for the biggest French brands such as Christian Dior, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint Laurent and many others.
A muse of Karl Lagerfeld, she was chosen as an ambassador for Chanel and was the first model to sign an exclusive contract with a luxury brand. A true French icon, she was chosen as the face of Marianne, a symbol of the French Republic, and has a statue of herself at the Musée Grévin in Paris.
Ines shared her secrets in her book, “La Parisienne” (“Parisian Chic” in English), which has been a huge global success, published in 17 languages and constantly reissued, it has already sold more than a million copies worldwide.
Ines now inspires and leads the creation of the Ines de la Fressange Paris brand, which offers women around the world the opportunity to access the best of Parisian style.
How would you describe your journey in fashion?
Varied! I've held several very different roles: model, editor, consultant, communications director, and above all, stylist, which is my favorite occupation. Creating is the most beautiful of professions.
What is the best memory of your career? (Meeting, anecdote, etc.)
There are many memories, the best of which are those of meetings with people who often became friends later: Paolo Roversi, Naoki Takizawa, Karl Lagerfeld… But I remember a fashion show for my brand with models ranging from 7 to 89 years old which was particularly warm and cheerful, yet made with the means at hand.
Can you describe your style in a few words?
A handbag that costs more than the entire outfit put together! (laughs) White jeans, a navy sweater, and beautiful accessories. Men's clothing that becomes very feminine. A somewhat studied simplicity. New clothes that seem timeless. Luxurious but not ostentatious.
Your philosophy of life?
Let's make a list of what's going well rather than what's frustrating. After the rain comes sunshine, but rain isn't so bad. Let's try to find a benefit in every task.
The Ines de la Fressange House in Paris
What role do you play in the House?
Advise, encourage, find, inspire, criticize, congratulate but above all be concerned and give confidence to our clients.
How do you decide what you want from season to season?
My desires are like my breathing, they never stop. Just by seeing a fabric I see the pants or the coat that I would like to wear; That is the key: wanting to wear the clothes yourself and imagining that your customers are your friends and will follow you in your wishes. Desire also comes from lack, I am always missing something in my wardrobe: a parka to go out in the evening, dress pants, a big soft sweater…
Where do you get your inspiration?
Everything is inspiring, today we are flooded with images with among others for example on Pinterest; There are also museums, exhibitions, cinema, people we meet but what is difficult is not to have imagination but to choose what we are going to do or not. Eliminating, editing, removing and keeping a range of color and a very readable line seems more difficult to me.
Can you describe the brand in a few words?
A friendly brand that finds help and solutions for women; a desire for honesty in style, quality, and price. A reliable brand that nevertheless wants to surprise. A desire to bring joy. A reasonable side but avoiding boredom. For a woman who embraces her frivolity but isn't frivolous. A desire to be on trend without becoming a fashion victim.
Who are Ines de la Fressange Paris clothing aimed at?
A person who shuns consumerism, wants to have little but something good. A woman who wants to buy a coat and at the same time give a dress for her little girl in the same place. A woman who has to dress a certain way for work but doesn't want to look gloomy. A young woman who needs a well-cut jacket or pants for special occasions but wants to wear them again for all sorts of moments. A woman who continues to be curious, wants to maintain her style but is open to some alterations. A woman who keeps her clothes and wants them to age as well as she does. A person who wants to give a gift by finding a scented candle, a vase, small leather goods, or a pair of glasses.
What is your definition of a Parisian woman?
Apparently there's a great book about it! (laughs) In short, it's a state of mind more than a civil status statement. She's a woman who cares about her appearance and knows how to happily mix the new and the old, the luxurious and the sportiest, wants to have style more than being fashionable but remains vigilant about what's happening in her time.
Your favorite walk?
I love the streets of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where it's easy to imagine what life was like in the 18th century, as it was in Juliette Gréco's time. Rue Férou, Rue Servandoni, and Rue de Tournon are magnificent and unspoiled.
The best area for shopping?
That's good: I also love the Left Bank with boutiques like Isabelle Marant or Marie-Hélène de Taillac and also the unmissable Bon Marché. I also go to Kerstin Adolphson or 45RPM which are not far from my boutique on Rue de Grenelle.
Left bank or right bank?
The left bank is historically less conventional, but I really like the gardens of the Palais Royal and the Marais on the right bank.
The best time of year in Paris?
September is cheerful, there is still a holiday feeling, the weather is still nice, you can keep your basket and sandals, but I would recommend June to tourists to hang out on the terraces of the bistros and get lost in the streets.
If Paris were a work of art? (A book, a painting, a song or a film)
It would be a collage because being in the Faubourg Saint-Honoré or in Belleville has no connection and that is the richness of the city: its variety. So let's imagine a painting by Basquiat with a bit of Bonnard and Jean-Baptiste Sécheret in a Renoir film described by Françoise Sagan in collaboration with Maupassant and Balzac! (laughs)