This Fall/Winter collection would be our first capsule collection; what was your design concept/inspiration? How did you want to mirror the “Comptoir-ness” into the collaboration line?
The concept for the capsule was to show the quintessential Comptoir wardrobe, highlighting our collection's essential pieces. It was important for us to express the understated French style using the high-quality and innovative fabrication from UNIQLO, giving the customer the essence of Comptoir at accessible price points.
The colour card is very chic with marinière with navy and ecru and the accent color of saffron and rouge. What was the inspiration for the colour concept?
Within our concept, we wanted to keep a classic chic French style with the beautiful classic mix of navy and ecru with saffron and rouge. It's a twist on the classic French essentials, giving our colour range a rich and high-quality appeal.
Which piece defines the spirit of this collection? Could you share any styling tips?
The spirit is the balance between femininity and sporty styling. For us, the best example of this is the wide brushed jersey pleated wide pants styled with the premium lambswool wide striped sweater. The stripe dimension of the jumper is blown up, so it has the perfect sporty feel worn with the wide tuck front trousers, which give us this elegance and femininity.
The peg jeans would be another highlighted item in the collection, mirroring the COMPTOIR DES COTONNIERS essence. We'd imagine it's quite news for many people that denim is said to have been first introduced in France!
Yes, we love this piece because of its heritage. The ecru with the Biscuit colour topstitch is authentic, yet the pleated front gives a modernity to the jeans. We're using the perfect rivet that we found in the antique nickel. So, it just throws it off from being your average jeans. And that is what is important in our collection.
COMPTOIR DES COTONNIERS is known for its iconic French heritage with a feminine gesture and modern allure. How do you define the charm of contemporary French style? Please tell us your tips to dress chic from the collection.
French style is defined by effortless chic—looking elegant in an understated way. It is also a question of attitude and modern mix & match. We have all of this in this capsule where you can mix grey pieces or ecru pieces together for monochrome modern chic looks, or where you can mix elegant casual pleated pants with sporty stripy sweaters or denim pants with a fitted feminine shirt under a beautifully draped coat.
COMPTOIR DES COTONNIERS is noted for utilizing natural fabric, but can you please share with us more details of how using natural fabric is part of your brand DNA? Can we hear any details regarding your craftmanship and authenticity in your production process?
The natural use of the fabrics in our collection is key to our collection: It's starting from heritage pieces and redeveloping them for our ready-to-wear is what gives our collection authenticity and depth to each collection. The importance of natural fabrics is also giving a beautiful quality to the collection. This collection's premium lambswool crew neck cardigan and the lambswool polo sweater take on the ½ Cardigan stitch traditionally used in fisherman jumpers. The herringbone weave in brushed wool we took for the belted wrap skirt is traditional Menswear tailoring, and we chose this fabric specifically to get this lovely combination between the masculine and feminine.
Do you think utilizing natural fabric also supports your concept to express the "effortless chic"?
Yes, using natural fabric is an integral part of the brand's DNA. The concept of essential iconic pieces made in beautiful, high-quality natural fabrics is at the heart of every collection. We have this fluid relationship between quality natural fabrications, craftsmanship, and authenticity; this builds our effortless chic spirit.
What does “COMPTOIR DES COTONNIERS” mean? How's that reflected in the collection today?
Originally, Comptoir des Cotonniers, the name of the brand created in 1995, was inspired by ancient successful commercial comptoirs mixed with high-quality cotton fabrics in this era. Today, it reflects the high-quality service provided in our network. The retail, online, and high-quality nature of our products in terms of fabric finishes applies to every garment, as well as delivering each item responsibly to our customers.
Do you have a message you would like to deliver to customers through this collaboration?
Enjoy the beautiful design of Comptoir at very reasonable prices with high-quality production of UNIQLO!