Paris, the Eiffel Tower, outdoor cafes, yes yes baguette, all of that, all of that. The naysayers would also speak of pollution, traffic jams, and sewer rats. But rather than dwell on the clichés, today we prefer to highlight Parisian fashion.
Far from the often fantasized French style, many designers seem to have found their inspiration in the city of lights. And since Paris deserves its title as the fashion capital, here are 10 clothing brands born in the capital that you should know.
DNA Paris
After graduating from a business school and starting her professional career in the world of finance, Léa Ihssane Chabaa completely changed course in 2019: “My relationship with clothing had totally predestined me for it”, she explains when launching her brand ADN Paris.
She then speaks of her memories, those moments when she accompanied her father to the tailor in Morocco, observing the care given to details, the choice of fabrics, the cut of the clothes… But rather than yet another brand that would encourage constant buying, the designer envisioned ADN Paris as a minimalist and timeless wardrobe that would allow everyone to be well dressed season after season.
Here, the lines are simple and refined, with very basic basics (white t-shirt, jeans, bomber jacket), but well made, crafted in workshops from the 11th district of Paris or the Ile-de-France region (denim in Pantin).
Balibaris
Do we still need to introduce you to Balibaris? Paul Szczerba created this brand in 2010 with the aim of offering a chic-casual men’s wardrobe. Neither too austere, nor too casual. Quality and comfortable. The name of the brand refers to the knight of Balibari, in the movie Barry Lyndon by Stanley Kubrick.
It was initially Balibaris ties that allowed the brand to emerge, before seeing collections expand thanks to jeans, sweat-shirts and shirts. Year after year, Paul Szczerba manages to renew himself, but while retaining the same guiding principle: “retro-modern elegance”. There is no made in France on the agenda, certainly, but collections designed in Paris with “over 90% of pieces certified ethical and responsible” and “a lifetime unlimited warranty for seven emblematic models”.
Special mention for the brand’s sweatshirts and overshirts, which are among the most interesting pieces from Balibaris.
GoodFellow
Time goes by, but we will always have a particular fondness for BonneGueule. Especially because before it was a great clothing brand, Benoît Wojtenka had designed his project as a blog that would provide advice to men on how to dress well.
Since 2007, much water has flowed under the bridge and BonneGueule has therefore grown quite a bit, with the opening of a first ready-to-wear store in Paris in 2015. And after having long presented itself as a DNVB (Digital Native Vertical Brand), the Parisian brand makes a new strategic move in 2024 with an even more premium positioning.
When you know Benoît’s passion for beautiful fabrics, great cuts, you know that the new BonneGueule clothes are designed to last. And these won’t be their only qualities…
Black Flag
Reading the manifesto alone will not be enough to understand why Black Flag is a “different” brand. Or, at least, why we highly recommend it: “What we have in mind is simple: a wardrobe of well-cut timeless pieces, made in Europe, in the finest materials.”
Behind this commendable will hides Nicolas Barbier, a former business law specialist who ventured into men’s ready-to-wear in 2014. While minimalism is celebrated in the Drapeau Noir collections, we also love the different inspirations, ranging from traditional workwear to 70s US culture.
It’s beautiful, well-executed (in Portugal), but above all, the whole thing doesn’t lack character. In short, all systems are go to discover this Black Flag if you haven’t already.
Studies
Etudes is not just a clothing brand. Jérémie Egry and Aurélien Arbet began their creative collaboration before being joined by José Lamali in 2012. Based in Paris and New York, the trio immediately envisioned Etudes as a “transdisciplinary collective” that could “express itself through different types of media, from men’s fashion to book publishing”.
The clothes here are sharper, less timeless. But it’s precisely this strong graphic identity that makes the charm of Etudes Studio, with iconic details like the 12 stars of the European flag or Klein Blue, which feature on many pieces.
Hast
Since 2012, Hast promises an “honest and simple trend” for men. Quite a program. Originally, the three creators Thomas Diez, Samy Ziani and Emmanuel Deniau are mainly looking to create “the right shirt”, elegant, comfortable, affordable… Without originality but with real efficiency, the trio finds the right formula to reinvent the formal shirt.
And since Hast style seems to be popular, the locker room is expanding with accessories (gloves, belts, socks…), chinos, polos… Here too, the brand has chosen to produce in a European eco-responsible way, allowing it to offer fair prices throughout the year (and thus never have sales).
ThePants
It’s like Port-Salut. Yes, we dared. Because, indeed, as its name suggests, upon its arrival on the market in 2014, LePantalon was offering only one product: a pair of pants for men. A chino, specifically, which met with great success and was quickly declined in a multitude of cuts, materials, and colors.
So much so that LePantalon started producing jeans, then women’s pants. Worse: the brand also turned to the top of the silhouette with sweats and t-shirts! Basics that can easily complete your outfit, even if it’s obviously for the pants that we invite you to discover the collections. Flannel, velvet, cargo, chino, denim: there is something for almost all tastes, with always beautiful materials and a very good value for money. So much so that even today, LePantalon is in our eyes one of the best men’s pants brands.
October Editions
After founding Sézane for ladies, Corentin Petit, Morgane Sézalory and Arthur Person launched their men’s ready-to-wear brand Octobre Editions in 2016 in the heart of Paris. The stated objective is not original (“Creating a timeless men’s wardrobe, with obvious pieces that one always needs and can keep for a long time”) but the proposed collections deliver on their promises.
The basics are beautifully reimagined at Octobre, with honeycomb sweaters, beautiful knitwear, comfortable jackets… We can only also applaud the brand’s transparency, which informs us in no particular order that 79% of its pieces are made in Europe, with over 60% of eco-responsible materials and continuous efforts to reduce the carbon footprint.
Paname Collections
“Knowing how to design clothes is one thing, producing them ethically is another.” This is the harsh reality from which Paname Collections was born in Paris in 2017. Talking about a “clothing overdose” and launching a ready-to-wear brand may seem paradoxical. But contrary to fast fashion, the ambition is to encourage consumers to buy less but better.
In terms of style, Paname Collections makes no secret of its workwear inspirations, especially with some very beautiful jackets and cargo pants. Even a piece as basic as a white t-shirt benefits from a genuine attention to detail here. In short, you will have understood, we have a real crush on Paname’s collections!
Project X
We conclude this overview with a brand that is evolving (finally!) in a different genre: streetwear. And on this note, Project X Paris enjoys a nice reputation today and has grown significantly since its launch in 2015.
From reality TV starlets to more renowned artists like SCH or Jason Derulo, the brand has always aimed to associate itself with trendy celebrities to draw attention to itself. And it works. Claiming a “premium and avant-garde” concept, Project X is arguably the brand that best embodies today’s French streetwear. Just for that, it therefore fully deserved its place in this selection!
Next to the longtime leading brands like Sandro and The Kooples, Parisian fashion has many more gems to offer. Young brands that are just waiting to be discovered and that deserve all your attention. In addition to the 10 names mentioned here, we could have also told you about Commune de Paris, which is trying to relaunch, or Editions M.R, which ceased its activities in 2021… awaiting its return in another form?