We’ve known the French brand Marie Puce for a while now, and we’re big fans of the collections that sisters Anne and Camille bring out each season.
Inspired by adult fashion, Marie Puce loves simple and clean lines with cheerful and contrasting finishes like hems piped in Liberty fabrics, pleated sleeves, embroidery, contrasting stitching, button plackets and covered buttons.
Their clothes are perfect for every day activities but also for parties, weddings, and celebrations.
Last week we met Camille in their shop to have a look at the aw15 collection that include dresses for girls and mothers (and grandmothers!), Liberty blouses, boys and girls jumpers made of merino and cashmere, 5 pocket trousers in beautiful colours, high quality T-shirts, Liberty skirts and dresses as well as accessories and more.
Time for an interview with Marie Puce!
Would you mind introducing yourself and your brand to our readers?
Marie Puce is a children’s fashion designer. Our boutique is located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris (near le Bon Marché). We also sell through our website to clients around the world.
Marie Puce is a family business as my sister and I are business partners. We have a boutique manager and a PR manager.
We monitor the production and manufacturing of the Marie Puce collections; from the sketches to the final design and production of our items.
We design our own patterns, we select our fabrics, we create our ideal colours and dye some of our fabrics or our pullovers. We predominantly work with suppliers and craftsmen in France, then Europe and further if needed, for the specific know-how for our collections.
Our clothes are designed in a very couture like style and all our items are rigorously manufactured. Our priority is the selection and quality of the fabrics and it is the same for all the items of the collections. As we wish to offer a design collection with a fair pricing, we only sell direct in our Paris boutique or on our website.
What was your background prior to starting Marie Puce?
As I was telling you previously, my sister and I are business associates. We studied engineering, marketing. We have worked 15 years in marketing. Anne was in the luxury industry and I worked in the media and direct marketing.
In spite of our « intellectual » university background, since we were children, we have always loved sewing and creating. In 2003, we each had three small children. We wanted to manage our time differently and mostly we wanted to build a business.
We put an end to our old life and started this new very successful adventure!
What got you started working in children’s fashion?
In 2003, the children fashion market lacked creativity. We could not find what we wanted for our children. Whenever we had spare time, we enjoyed sewing. Anne left her job a few months before me. She immediately trained for patterns and design. Then, we launched ourselves!
Do you have children?
We have three children each.
What has changed in your life since you became a mother?
I hardly have time to myself, I look after my family and I enjoy it !
What is the best thing about being a mother?
Being useful, needed. Help our children grow, see them change into real personalities.
What is your advice for new mums?
Hindsight and sense of humor. Life is so much easier with humor!
How do you combine motherhood and work?
Very smoothly! It’s exactly what we were aiming at when we created Marie Puce. We work long days and long hours with a lot of freedom and availability for our families. It is sheer luxury! However, it is not always easy to disconnect!
How do you make sure everything is in balance (work, family, friends)?
One can never be sure but it is important to maintain a form of balance.
Tell us a bit about your drive and purpose, your vision for your designs.
We take our inspirations from the adult fashion and the general trends.
We like beautiful items, authentic fabrics and chic clothes. Our collections are pepsy with subtle shades.
What do you feel makes your work unique?
Our job is very diverse. Each day is unique. Creativity for the collections, selection of fabrics, utmost precision for the manufacturing of our clothes. We also constantly analyse and reflect on what item is a Must Buy or not and why. We survey the online boutique and analyse its performances. Communication and social networks are also very important to us, the web is fascinating and everything goes so fast. We enjoy every moment of it!
What’s your favorite design from your current line?
I do not have a favourite. I mostly like the elegant and chic designs of our dresses and our blouses. I love our Liberty fabric choices as well as our colours.
What are some essentials that every child should have in their closet/toy room?
Creative and educational toys such as building blocks and construction games such as legos playmobil etc. I love playing with Playmobils!
Where do you shop for you children?
Only at Marie Puce!
No, not only! Everywhere actually, from every possible brand wherever I find exactly what I am looking for.
If one of our readers is in your city, which is, for 24 hours. What things would you recommend they do?
Visit a museum. Paris is full of wonderful museums and galleries and each have children’s activities. I used to do that a lot with my children when they were younger. After the museum, we would go the restaurant and it was a Special day! Back home we would fill up our albums with the museum post cards.
Website: www.mariepuce.com
Website: www.mariepuce.com
