A firm believer in the evergreen coolness of sharply-cut tailoring, carefully selected fabrics, and impeccable finishes, Pierre-François Valette founded Valette Studio in 2020. In three seasons, this graduate of the Chambre Syndicale, who also trained with Isabel Marant and the house of Saint Laurent, has come up with an idiosyncratic “casual couture” aesthetic for men and women, peppered with quirky touches, in sync with a new generation constantly migrating between formality and streetwear. At Valette Studio, suits have the comfort of tracksuits, vivid colors and patterns appear unexpectedly, and inventive layerings shed a new light on tailoring.
Each collection explores numerous art and literature references, from Andy Warhol through Albert Camus and David Bowie, legends whose renegade mindset jibes with the spirit of the brand. And although Valette Studio offers ready-to-wear, it functions in a modern “maison de couture” spirit, hence the fastidious crafting of the clothes and its insistence on promoting collective work, symbolized by its inclusive brand name.
CityPages Magazine: Tell us a bit about VALETTE and its DNA.
Pierre-François Valette: La maison de couture. Without the layer of dust or the clientele confined to the «entre-soi» and the prestige, Valette Studio renews its purpose while preserving the essence of the Maison. Uncompromising standards, precise cuts and genuine French savoir-faire. Cool tailoring inspired by the great classics of the men’s wardrobe, who expressed in a deliberately non-genre manner. A taste for beauty as a cardinal value.
CPM: How have you managed to scale the brand growth since its inception?
PFV: I created VALETTE STUDIO just before the covid crisis. We had to work very quickly on digital and digital showrooms. It is also direct sales and private customers that allowed me to launch the brand. Since then, VALETTE STUDIO has grown with both B2C and B2B sales. As a designer brand, it is important for me to communicate around our DNA both with the help of the press and with our Parisian fashion shows. VALETTE STUDIO has been an integral part of the official Paris Fashion Week calendar since its second collection in January 2021. The range of development is therefore wide!
CPM: What triggered your passion for design?
PFV: Different thing surely inexplicable, impalpable: I was an opera singer – I grew up in a family where the culture of creation, beauty and refinement was omnipresent – a state of mind, a state of soul, a feeling… Creating is vital for me, not a job, a state of being, fundamental!
CPM: What is your approach to daily dressing?
PFV: Simple, sophisticated, relaxed but… always chic. A casual, timeless suit. Style above all!
CPM: What is Valette Studio’s main philosophy?
PFV: FREEDOM
CPM: Who is Valette Studio’s man?
PFV: There is no VALETTE man, there is VALETTE clothing. I’m working on a deliberately gender-neutral garment that everyone can appropriate wherever they come from.
CPM: What is the inspiration behind your latest collection?
PFV: The 1930s, for the fluidity, the lightness, the fluidity… Let me enclose the text on my latest collection. The spirit of the 1930s. Or rather, its spirits. A free wardrobe to celebrate chic hedonism. Beige that sheds its bourgeois connotations, pinstripes flirting with art deco, constructivism extending its lines while supple knots emphasize the waist. Metal and bead T-shirts, the powdery pink of artisanal knits, the abundance of cottons conversing with crepes, satin for eveningwear, or silk for scarf collars. Lascivious or urban, but always couture, the total looks envisioned by Pierre-François Valette range from evening to morning, like a Gatsby-style ball.
CPM: Tell us a little about the craftsmanship that goes into each piece.
PFV: Craftsmanship is an integral part of the DNA of VALETTE STUDIO. Each piece is thought out in terms of style, construction, exterior and interior details. All the collections are produced in France with workshops chosen for their know-how and their quality. It is the idea of exporting an exceptional product.
CPM: How is sustainability important to you as a brand and an individual?
PFV: It is primordial. This is our common future. Our good to all. All the work of VALETTE STUDIO is thought in this direction.
CPM: When was the moment realised just how important it is?
PFV: Always! It was not a topic for me. This is a topic of clear evidence!
CPM: How do you manage to empower men through the world of fashion?
PFV: Consume less but better. Buy sustainable beauty. VALETTE STUDIO operates on order with as little stock as possible.
CPM: How would you define the fashion scene in the Middle East and how has it evolved over the years?
PFV: The Middle East is a part of the world that fascinates me: its speed of evolution, its adaptability, its cultural richness. Fashion in the Middle East is changing very rapidly with exciting ambition.
CPM: What is your biggest design inspiration for 2023 and beyond?
PFV: I would answer in 2 words: SIMPLICITY and PURITY
CPM: You have dressed a star-studded list of clientele, who else is on your wish list?
PFV: We have dressed many VIPs around the world. I don’t have a list in mind, I prefer to let the chance of life seduce me.
CPM: What’s your take on social media? How important do you think it is towards building a brand?
PFV: We are in an ultra-connected world and we have to live with the times. Nothing is negative if it does not take precedence over our individual freedom. Social networks are fundamental in the development of a brand. It’s a great way to reach the whole world in seconds! It’s a big chance.
https://www.instagram.com/valettestudio/
Photography: Christel Jeanne
