Sézane, the French slow fashion brand beloved for its high quality and retro-inspired designs, has arrived in Ireland.
Brown Thomas launched an exclusive pop-up with the brand this morning, giving Irish shoppers their first opportunity to shop the brand in person. The pop-up will run throughout the festive season until 4 January.
Founded in 2013 in Paris by Morgane Sézalory as an online-only brand, Sézane has become almost as renowned for its elegantly designed stores and queues snaking around street corners as it has for its iconic pieces, such as the 'Gaspard' cardigan and the 'Will' jacket.
Inspired by vintage finds salvaged from Parisian flea markets, the brand has ploughed a furrow in creating sustainable, highly wearable pieces that prioritise premium materials.
It's a formula that has worked wonders on shoppers, with secondhand pieces still fetching close to original prices on sites such as Depop and Vinted.
However, the chance to puruse the latest designs in person has long been coveted by Irish fashion lovers.
"If I had to name one brand that I've been asked the most about over the last number of years, it's been Sézane", said Fiona Gallagher, Head of Fashion Concessions at Brown Thomas, speaking at the pop-up launch this morning.
Walking into the pop-up, it did feel like a curated space unlike most high street shops.
A 'sweater wall' packed with neatly folded jumpers and cardigans in muted shades of blue, green, taupe and cream greets customers on one side, while well-appointed mannequins dressed in 70s-inspired outfits await on the other.
Nailing the in-store experience of the brand has been key, Gallagher said. She explained that the pop-up has been months in the making, with "very, very particular" decisions about the decor meticulously made with the Sézane team, including vintage furniture sourced from Paris markets.
It's an experience that in-the-know shoppers have already sought out abroad and expect at home.
"First of all, I thought, this is great, I don't have to go overseas to seek out Sézane", said Aoife Dunican, an image consultant and stylist also known as The Style Bob on Instagram, recalling her response to the news of the launch.
For stylists like Dunican, size inclusivity, sustainability, and a more accessible price point for premium materials are the main draws, as well as cohesion when it comes to design.
"When you go into a Sézane store, you just think of Provence, you think of all those gorgeous colours and textures", Dunican said. "Everything goes together."
Dunican already preaches a 'buy once, buy well' policy with her clients and says the slow and sustainable ethos of the brand ticks that box: "I think when you can buy into a brand where pieces go together ... it's one thing all of us love, is an outfit. We don't want to buy something on its own."
Celebrity stylist Corina Gaffey agreed, noting that shoppers are becoming "more considered" with their purchases.
"They're very clever in terms of wearability with their clothes, which is another element of sustainability. Actually wearing your clothes, getting the wear out of them."
Arguably, the most attractive quality of Sézane up until this point, however, has been its scarcity in Ireland.
"When you can't access something you want it even more", said Gaffey. "So the fact that you could only shop it online in Ireland and now you have a physical store, I think that builds the mystique of it, as well."
"They just have seen a gap in the market for really great pieces", she said, adding: "I just feel like it's something a little bit different that we don't have in Dublin."
One thing that stylists and shoppers I spoke to this morning heralded was the return of an in-store experience, one that invites buyers to linger, touch and consider which piece or two to add to their collection. It's a pivot away from the grab-and-go flurry of online shopping, if only a small one and for higher than typical prices.
"Shopping online is an experience and to me, it's great, but I'm not sure I really value the pieces I buy online as much as when I can physically come in, touch them, feel them, try them on, make sure I'm getting the right fit", Gallagher said.
Dunican echoed this, saying: "It just goes to show that online is not the answer to all our prayers. You cannot beat trying things on."
