“What I enjoy most about life is putting a little bit of magic into everything.” Because I notice it everywhere. When asked about these sources of inspiration, Sézalory says, “I think that’s my gift.” “It’s this ability to see the magic in everything that connects
the more elevated beauty and art with every day.”
Sézalory’s fashion education is anything but traditional. It’s certainly not formal. She dropped out of high school at the age of 16 and chose not to attend university. Instead, she started a business acquiring and selling high-end vintage pieces on e-Bay, which eventually evolved into Les Composantes, an online shop. more details for essentials hoodie
“Through the vintage beauties I used to sell, I learned so much about fashion.” “When you have to rebuild, repair, or fix a vintage piece, you see how it is made and have to work with the complicated, little details,” Sézalory says.
Sézalory chose 100 pieces each month for Les Composantes and released them in what she called a monthly rendezvous, which sold out in minutes, thanks to her innate eye for the unique and artistic. It was the forefather of Sézane, which she launched in 2013,
and it earned her a legion of customers who eagerly awaited her latest selections. Sézalory now leads a team of 400 people across Sézane’s corporate office and retail locations, and she is a coveted member of the BoF 500, the definitive list of the world’s most influential fashion professionals.
French cool with vintage vibes in frequently refreshed collections
Les Composantes helped Sézalory lay the foundation for her business strategy as well. She saw firsthand how, as her vintage business boomed, her customer’s frustration grew in tandem—there simply was not enough supply to feed their hungry demand. The experience informed the realization that monthly drops of random,
one-of-a-kind pieces did not suit the everyday needs of women. So when she launched Sézane she continued to offer 12 drops per year but with a much bigger selection to satisfy customer needs. It’s a concept that is normal today, but she was the trailblazer in this practice when Sézalory started doing this over 15 years ago. more details for essentials hoodies
“It was very unique at the time.” I was simply being honest about the season and the needs you have each month of the year at a time when most brands only released two major collections. You were coming in February when it was still winter, and you were expecting to find summer dresses and clothes.” She smiles and nods her head slightly. “Which was insane.”
They come from a very modest family and grew up with nothing but love, and they know how to make things out of beauty and not much else, which gave them common sense about everything. And my mother wanted us to be happy, to find our way, to find solutions. Dégourdi! “To find a path,” she chuckles.
Sézane continues to expand its global presence through retail expansion (they have permanent stores… [+] in New York and Los Angeles), the most recent of which was the San Francisco pop-up that opened last week.
The expansion begs the question, “How big is big?” Sézalory wants Sézane to go somewhere. After all, not every fashion house aspires to be the next Chanel. Many people are content to be on par with Dries Van Noten—consistent, clear,
and with respectable enough sales to know your worth.
“I never wanted anything more than to be an independent woman who was happy.” “To be honest, I think this has been my only goal,” she says. “My working style is similar to that of a very good baker who wants to make the best bread, who loves his customers,
who want to make a very pretty shop, a place for his people to be, and who wants to host the people in the best way possible, with a smile.” And occasionally, the type of baker who will give you the leftover crust.
“And this is exactly how I operate. There is a lot of common sense, good sense, quality, love, and consideration. And I’m completely obsessed with making things better than they were yesterday, every day. So there is fidelity, and that is the only secret. It grows on its own because it is like that, with no true intention of growing and growing. It just keeps growing.”
The topic shifts to her six and eight-year-old children, who are leaving for vacation in a few days. “I’m going to miss them so much,” Sézalory laments. “As a result, I’ll spend tonight with them at home.” But first, I must design. Then there are my girls, and then there’s the party.” All in one night? Sure thing. She’s got dégourdi.
