Meet the French brand Joepia Paris, a new French children’s clothing brand for children aged 3 months – 8 years old.
Their first SS15 collection features Classical designs including beautiful liberty prints for both boys and girls that are synonymous with classic florals, charming colour palettes with colours such as watermelon red and lilac and delicately detailed prints.
Dresses, bloomers, shirts, trousers … and we loooove the short salopettes!
It’s about time we find out more about the two friends behind this brand.
Would you mind introducing yourself and your brand to our readers?
We are Vanessa and Inès, two friends who founded the French brand Joépia Paris. It’s a kids fashion brand, 100% made in France. Our clothes represent a French «art de vivre», we want to celebrate the joyfulness of childhood.
Where does the name Joepia originate from?
Joepia is the contraction of the two names we would have called our third kid if we had one : Joseph & Pia. And we wanted to add Paris to remind that it’s a French brand, quite chic and elegant.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background? How did you become a kids fashion designer?
Vanessa had worked for more then ten years in the fabric and fashion industry, I was in charge of communication in a branding agency. Both of us has stopped to work for a couple of years to raise our kids. We met when the kids started school. We have always loved fashion, especially for kids and had realized that you can hardly find kids clothes really 100% made in France. So we decided to take the challenge and create our own brand.
What are the inspirations or motivations behind your design?
We wanted to promote the French confection, this heritage of high quality work, sense of details and love of fashion. We have always been huge fan of the liberty prints, and wanted them to be at the heart of our work. They structure our collections and give the spirit of it. Finally, we both take inspiration in the 50’s, when clothing was simple but elegant at the same time.
Do you have children? How does that influence your work?
Our own kids (Anna, 6 yo – Elouan, 5 yo – Antoine et Aliénor 3 yo) are our main source of inspiration. they already have their own tastes, they love colors, and are very energetic. And on the other hand, we love when our kids are stylished. So we try our best to combine what they love to wear and what we love on them.
What are some essentials that every child should have in their closet?
Boys must have an elegant shirt, we recommend flowers, something more stylish than a regular blue oxford one. Girls all have a dress in their closet, easy to wear and so chic. We also think that fitted trousers are a must have.
What are the most rewarding and most challenging aspects of your job?
It is amazing to see the clothes we have designed taking live on kids. We love that parents appropriate themselves the clothes in ways we would not have imagined. But it is a challenge to reinvent ourselves without loosing
the soul of the brand. Working in France is often a challenge, for the costs and processes are sometimes prohibitives or demoralizing. However we love what we do so much that we are surprised of all the energy that provides us.
If one of our readers is in your city, Cognac, for 24 hours. What one thing would you recommend they do?
Cognac is such an amazing -though small- city. You would love sailing on the Charente, in summer. Of course visiting a famous house of cognac to learn all the trade secrets of this alcohol. The first week of July, all the city is animated by the Blues Passion Festivals, with concerts every nights, it’s very fun ! And of course, your reader should definitely comehave a coffee with us, we love to know our clients !!
