It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to Rue Jules Chaplain. This street is primarily known to Parisians who are lovers of art house cinema. For several years now, Officine Générale has also made it headquarters and showrooms where I have the joy of working each day with my incredible team to design, develop, market, and distribute our menswear and womenswear collections.
It was, in fact, while standing on this sidewalk, reflecting on the show and smoking a cigarette that the name “Pariviera” came to me. I was fully present in Paris, happy to be preparing for the new season, and at the same time, overwhelmed by a longing for the seaside, for parasol pines and a blue horizon... Paris is a wonderful city, I’ve loved it ever since I arrived from Brittany but it does have one major flaw: it’s far from the coast. So, I envisioned a Parisian summer collection, both urban and seaside, one that joyfully ignores geography.
I wanted generous volumes, lightness, and bodies draped in air. We developed a parachute-like poplin, featherweight, that enhances the sensation of an almost immaterial summer wrap. I also fell for a new cotton-linen-Tencel blend that brings a smarter feel in contrast. Scattered throughout the collection are maritime details, small nods to my coastal roots. And a hint of nonchalance, so fitting for summer dressing: beach sandals most of the time, pant hems rolled up, shirts and tees with sleeves casually rolled up, and as a seasonal accessory, a cotton scarf tied around the head à la Keith Richards or Henrik Purienne.
Officine Générale’s women’s line draws from the same inspirations, while offering its own distinct cuts. I love the idea of a woman and a man who embrace their differences, forming a couple without being identical.
After our January show at Café Le Rouquet, where the spirit of true Paris still lingers, showing this new collection right here on the bitumen felt like a natural next step. The street has always been one of my greatest sources of inspiration. I love watching it in all its diversity. And dressing it with style and modernity more than ever. The pieces unveiled today are designed to be worn every day. I remain especially attached to the reality of my proposition, even in a summer collection, even in the heat, even as I speak to you of the seaside from the heart of Paris…
Wishing you a beautiful summer.
Pierre
