Francophiles and fashion fans, let us introduce you to style savant Morgane Sézalory, the founder of Paris-based clothing label Sézane. (Enchanté.) From humble beginnings as an online vintage-clothing destination, Sézalory’s brand of French boho vibes has made the aesthetic globally accessible—now the world wants to dress in the casually cool Gallic styles she and her team design. To wit, her feminine blouses, day-to-night dresses and sleek pants can sell out within moments of appearing online.
In five years, Sézalory has built an international brand based on her fashion instincts. We spoke with her about getting dressed, going out (as you can imagine, her suggestions are très chic) and working hard in the French capital.
Tell us about how you ended up creating France’s first online fashion destination.
I am a self- taught! After high school I decided to take a year off to think about what I wanted to do with my life. I was a huge lover of aesthetics, art, compositions and vintage! When my sister moved to London, she left behind a beautiful collection of vintage pieces. I decided to start selling the items on eBay just to make a little extra pocket money and never thought it would be the beginning of my professional life! The business was an overnight success, so I decided to launch my own website, Les Composantes. I was in complete control and able to design a website filled with beautiful imagery that sold my vintage finds as well as my first designs. After a few years I realized I was ready to focus only on my own designs and in 2015, Sézane was born, the contraction of my full name: Morgane Sézalory.
How do you choose your ateliers? You aspire to incorporate ethical choices.
The way we create our collections has always been at the heart of our responsibilities. Our ateliers are chosen for their expertise, working conditions and the origins of the fabrics. We visit our ateliers, we select them depending on our requirements, and we continually audit them. More than anything else, we create a human relationship with them, one which is equal and long-lasting. Recently, we invited some of our customers to discover our ateliers so they can understand better how Sézane works.
You started by selling vintage finds. What is your most cherished vintage piece?
I have so many! But my favorite one is a pair of shoes from the ’40s in a unique green color.
What do you usually wear to the office?
I have a very classic style. I spend most of the day designing new collections or creating content and imagery for our website and Instagram. I like to keep it simple—but always with beautiful pieces. My best match is: the perfect pair of jeans, nice pumps and a nice shirt.
What are the Sézane offices like? What is your workday like?
A place full of creative and inspiring people! The office is really full of life. Filled with inspirational mood boards, Sézane products and beautiful décor. Every workday is different. While I am at the office I try to spend time with everyone, overseeing all projects and coming up with new ideas with our talented team.
Which items will you be wearing from the spring collection?
So many items! But one outfit I want to wear as soon as sun comes back in Paris would be: the Anastasia dress, the Farrow bag and the Valentina pumps.
Which Sézane piece do you wear the most?
Hmm… I wear the Will jacket often, my Jack sneakers and my Claude bag! I also have the Valentina in multiple colors because they are a comfortable heel I can wear all day. They are the best pieces to wear year-round and part of our iconic collection of French essentials.
Where are some of your favorite places in Paris? To eat? To relax? To shop? Vintage stores or markets?
To eat: Septime, L’Hôtel des Beaux Arts, Racines.
To relax: Six Senses Spa or Assa (for Japanese massages).
To shop: L’Appartement Sézane and Le Bon Marché.
To vintage shop: I love to spend time at le Marché Aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, a huge flea market where I love to go for décor shopping! For vintage clothes, I like the selection at Didier Ludot near Palais Royal.