Chloé’s (non-French) designer on the secrets to French style

Despite being Birmingham-born-and-bred, Clare Waight Keller has spent three intense years immersed in the French capital. The Chloé designer on the three things to know about French dressing.

It doesn’t happen overnight

“You could never really say they have a uniform, but individually they create their own uniform,” she explains, looking to her her French friends, and women that she’s met since working for Chloe. “They have a certain wardrobe that they build over time.”

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Trends don’t factor it at all

Thanks to this study, we know that French women don’t follow trends. After having lived and worked in New York and London, Waight Keller is well aware of the differences in style between each of the countries. “I never feel that French jump on trends ever, there is a real, almost stoic approach to their wardrobe where they are steadfastly committed to building something very defined and very precise actually.” And as for her counterparts back home: “Londoners are like, ‘Let’s get my Topshop blouse, I’ll put it with my Chloé skirt’. For them it’s more about mixing high and low, classic, fashion, sport.”

They know what suits to them

“They find the blazer that works for them, you always see them in the same jeans… it’s a very consistent way of dressing, it’s quite disciplined. It always looks right, and it’s somewhat timeless but also relevant for now, it’s quite clever.” She mentions French fashion icons such as Ines de la Fressange andVogue Paris editor Emanuelle Alt. “They have a very specific look. You always see Ines in a sharp little blazer, crop pant, flat shoe. You can describe her look in a minute.”

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