PEARL COAST - THE HENLEY
On the Pearl Coast, the sea softly sways,
Foam pearls glisten in delicate displays.
The slender flowers bow with playful grace,
With a salty poem, the sea reveals its embrace.
Each product is made entirely in France, from cutting and knitting to assembly, finishing and ironing. I personally visit the workshops to supervise the process and get to know the people who work on my products.denim is made in Normandy.knitwear is made in Troyes.knitwear is made entirely in Normandy.flou (blouses, dresses and so-called “flous” tops in delicate warp and weft fabrics) is made in Nantes.scarves are woven and embroidered in Lyon with French thread.
The classic 2/2 rib owes its name to its knitting method, which alternates two solid and two hollow columns. The 2/2 rib used for the Écume crop top, tee-shirt and Mer shorty is knitted in Portugal from GOTS-certified organically grown cotton yarn. This knitwear is produced without bleaching or dyeing, which may leave small hull residues (micro-stitches), giving the fabric an authentic character. Not bleaching or dyeing is a radical choice to minimize the impact of water pollution, as these treatments are often heavy and aggressive on the environment.
The brand's emblematic flower buttons are handcrafted in Italy from the finest mother-of-pearl. Featuring five diamond-cut faceted petals, they are available in several shades of mother-of-pearl in natural colors:- Troca, golden color- Rivière, opaque white color- Tahïti, dark gray color. These poetic flower buttons add a delicate signature to the pieces in the collection. This type of mother-of-pearl work, no longer practiced in France, persists among a handful of Italian manufacturers, while most production has been relocated to Asia or Madagascar.
My brand's labels, woven in Portugal, are made from Tencel. This man-made fiber is considered one of the most environmentally friendly. Tencel has been chosen to be undyed. Avoiding bleaching and dyeing materials is a radical way of minimizing the impact of water pollution, as these treatments are heavy and aggressive on the environment.To ensure their long-term strength and legibility, there is no other option than to weave the labels on a recycled polyester base. The size is included on each label to avoid having a brand tag and a size chip, thus reducing the resources and energy needed to produce them. Find out more about Tencel.
Composition labels are made from undyed Tencel ribbon, woven and printed in Portugal. Tencel is an artificial fiber produced without toxic products in a closed-loop process. This quality is used on light, thin products. Tencel, an ecological fiber, is made from eucalyptus pulp, requiring less water and energy than other fibers. Biodegradable and durable, it offers a silky softness and feel similar to silk, while being resistant and easy to care for.In France, I couldn't find a soft label in either cotton or Tencel. For logistical reasons, I grouped the two qualities together at a single Portuguese manufacturer.
The Écume & Mer line is finished in bourdon stitch, somewhere between sewing and embroidery. This dense stitch requires a strong thread to glide through the material, minimizing breakage both during manufacture and long-term wear. Polyester thread is preferable to cotton, as it is much stronger. This yarn is spun in Europe from recycled polyester. I'm always on the lookout for technical advances in new, more natural fibers that are just as strong.
The Henley tee shirt has its roots in menswear. A cross between a tee-shirt and a polo shirt, this piece has been part of men's clothing since the 19th century. It was created for rowing in the English town of Henley-on-Thames. Its button placket neckline is also known as a Tunisian collar, as it was probably inspired by traditional North African dress. It was adopted by the US army in the 1950s, then made popular by movie stars in westerns and for roles as unsubmissive heroes.the foam along the beaches inspired the wavy bourdon-stitch finish of the long-sleeved tee.the brand's signature flower buttons close with their delicate golden mother-of-pearl, the tunisian collar of the famous Henley revisited as a plunging V-neckline.