PARIS — It’s the best of both worlds for Thierry Gillier. The Zadig & Voltaire founder is co-branding an existing boutique to combine his cornerstone contemporary brand and his luxury cashmere label Pellat-Finet.
The location at 326 Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris will now house the two labels under one roof with a tightly curated selection of pieces from each line. The retail space will also serve as a launch pad for new concepts and collaborations.
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Gillier acquired the French legacy cashmere brand out of receivership from founder Lucien Pellat-Finet in 2019, dropped the first name to rechristen it Pellat-Finet, and set out to reestablish the brand’s retail presence. It opened the Rue Saint-Honoré location as a standalone store in April 2023.
“This the first step to sort of revive and reinvigorate [Pellat-Finet], because we are slowly rebuilding the brand,” he said. The knitwear label will continue to focus on high-end, quiet luxury basics, whereas Zadig & Voltaire has a more rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic. “I love this contrast between the two brands.”
Further solidifying the integration, a selection of Pellat-Finet pieces will also be available at select Zadig & Voltaire stores, including its location on Rue Cambon and its flagship on Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
After revealing last year that it had named designer and consultant Dryce Lahssan creative director of collections and image, Pellat-Finet has reverted to being designed by an in-house studio team that is distinct from the Zadig & Voltaire brand.
Gillier does not expect to appoint a new creative director at Pellat-Finet and instead will strengthen the brand’s collaboration strategy. The first is in the works and will be unveiled during men’s week in January.
The company will “focus on the product and on the craftsmanship around cashmere,” he said. The team will look to make subtle tweaks on classic designs, rather than overhaul the aesthetic.
Gillier stepped into the creative director shoes at Zadig & Voltaire in January, following the departure of Cecilia Bönström, with the intention of returning the brand to its roots. He’s also planning to be back on the runway during Paris Fashion Week in February.
If the positioning of the two brands seems to be at odds, Gillier noted that Pellat-Finet was subversive with its early intarsia designs of smiley faces and marijuana leaves.
The retail space will serve as an incubator or “laboratory” to facilitate new collaborations and additional product development, the executive said.