The Parisian Workshop
The manufacturing steps
Ines de la Fressange is famous worldwide because she perfectly embodies the style of the Parisian woman, so admired and often simply described as "Parisian Chic."
The Ines de la Fressange Paris brand has inherited this DNA and has chosen to place design and creativity at the heart of its roots, because elegance rhymes with excellence and high standards, an obvious choice that is becoming rare…
Ines de la Fressange is famous worldwide because she perfectly embodies the style of the Parisian woman, so admired and often simply described as "Parisian Chic."
The Ines de la Fressange Paris brand has inherited this DNA and has chosen to place design and creativity at the heart of its roots, because elegance rhymes with excellence and high standards, an obvious choice that is becoming rare…
The creative studio
As the artistic director of the brand that bears her name, Ines de la Fressange inspires and oversees the in-house Studio. This Studio has existed since day one at Ines de la Fressange Paris; it is located at the heart of the Brand’s offices, where hundreds of pieces and patterns are imagined and designed in a space where not a single square centimeter is wasted, including the walls, which are covered with entire boards of drawings and fabric samples.
Ines de la Fressange's Inspirations
Ines draws her inspiration and insights from her travels and her unparalleled experience in Parisian fashion. Few people have such a background and can say to this extent that they understand the Parisian style. And it is in the Studio, guided by the directions set by Ines, that the team gets to work and the designs for each piece that will make up the seasonal lines are born, currently three per year exactly, not counting the Capsule Collections.
Sketches and drawings
Everything starts with collection plans that help structure the offer and design the themes of each collection, constantly renewed but always true to that unique "effortless chic" style that Ines embodied and theorized in her books. Large panels mixing sketches, finished drawings, and pinned fabric samples shape what initially is only a dream or the spirit of the times.
For several seasons, Ines has asked Eric Bergère, a famous clothing designer trained at Hermès and who has worked notably at Lanvin and Smalto, to support the Studio and help design collections in harmony with her values and aspirations. Ines and Eric have known and appreciated each other for a long time; they were already fortunate to work together during the creation of the Ines de la Fressange Paris brand in the 1990s, and reuniting felt like an obvious choice.
Choice of fabrics and materials
Eric, who lives year-round in Arles and also works on his own collections and for partners in Asia, regularly joins the Ines de la Fressange Paris studio at 10, rue du Mail in Paris, near Place des Victoires. He brings his taste, experience, and expertise, which perfectly complement Ines de la Fressange’s intuitions and strengthen the energy and talent of the in-house studio team. Everything then goes through a very special alchemy. The creative intentions indeed combine drawings and, from the start, fabric selections or exclusive orders from publishers. The many back-and-forth exchanges with these fabric publishers, chosen among the best, make them partners in the creation. Throughout the process, special attention must be paid to aligning the style intentions and materials, as these two parameters together will give birth to the brand’s lines.
The Workshop Made in Paris
Talented artisans
Ines de la Fressange Paris has chosen to complement its Studio with an in-house Workshop, which is a true luxury, especially since it is also located right in the heart of Paris. Few brands have such a high-performance tool integrated within their operations. This choice is strategic: it is by far the best solution to ensure that the creative intentions are exactly reflected in the prototypes of each piece. There is indeed a complete continuity between the original inspirations, the spirit of the Brand, the creative wishes, the designs, the choice of materials, the cutting of fabrics, and the assembly of prototypes. Everything is done in-house at Ines de la Fressange Paris, by integrated teams and contributors who come together and work collaboratively, around Ines de la Fressange herself. Behind every Ines de la Fressange Paris creation lies the talent of passionate and expert artisans.
The Assembly of Clothing
Within the Atelier, we imagine how the designs will be translated into garments: we break down each element, design the assembly, sometimes very technical, and bring it to life, first through “toiles” made in volume from neutral fabrics, then moving on to prototyping with the actual fabrics to ensure the drape is perfect, exactly as the creation intends. After hours of meticulous and almost loving design, long fitting sessions allow the Atelier team to compare their proposals with the expectations of the Studio and, naturally, Ines de la Fressange herself. Through the experience and knowledge of its team, the Atelier concentrates rare expertise in design and pattern making that will be found in the pieces composing the collections. Some will be so successful that they will become “timeless.” After everyone agrees, following fittings and sometimes passionate exchanges (but always in good spirits…), the next step is Pattern Making. Essential for the garments to then be produced, always in reasonable quantities, on small production lines with a still very artisanal spirit, mainly in France and Europe. This is another extraordinary skill: breaking down a garment, often very complex, into individual elements for which the tracing is manually done on special paper and translated into precise measurements that will become a Pattern. At a time when most of these steps are digitized, often with an “industrial” mindset focused on large runs, the Ines de la Fressange Paris Atelier has chosen, on the contrary, to entrust these steps to perfectly “human” and expert eyes and hands.
The Grenelle shop
An authentic place
24 Grenelle Street in Paris
This is how at Ines de la Fressange Paris, a true fashion and artisanal spirit can be guaranteed in the pieces the Brand will sign.
An essential part of the Brand's charm and authenticity takes root in these phases, which many customers are unaware of but subconsciously perceive when they discover the creations, whether clothing, leather goods, or accessories.
A very Parisian house
The height of refinement, the Atelier is not only located in the heart of Paris, on the Left Bank, but it is even situated in the middle of the brand’s flagship store. Ines de la Fressange wanted and requested that everyone be able to see it for themselves: a case probably unique in the world, the Atelier works behind glass windows, in full view of everyone inside the brand’s largest store. Every customer of the Ines de la Fressange Paris boutique can thus see the Atelier and its “little hands” at work; there are no secrets at Ines de la Fressange Paris and, on the contrary, it is living proof that the House’s pieces are indeed created… in Paris.