Marie Schlumberger, creator of The Man in the autumn in the Interview of the month! A little look 
Can you tell us about the genesis your brand "Man in the Fall? I threw myself into this adventure he is about 3 years
. Originally, I was accompanied by three friends with whom I practiced fencing. We decided to create our own brand of ready-to-wear women's ethics.
Advised and assisted by friends also creators, I'm coming into contact with a
workshop in Pondicherry, India .
brand
"Man in the Fall" was officially created in 2009 . I was fortunate to be part of a business incubator
City of Paris (program implemented throughout the territory). Thus I was helped and advised during this crucial period that marks the launch of a brand.
Today, "The Man in the Fall" is well underway and
has a positive reception in the middle of the ethical fashion . But I must admit that launching his clothing line is still a real challenge
. Even today I do the entire activity of the brand, from creation to distribution!
Where did you get the urge to engage in the way of ready-made ethical / organic? since I'm always sensitive to issues of sustainable development . I am not an activist but a
citizen and informed consumer. Professionally, although
made my arms from major luxury brands (Sonia Rykiel, Yves Saint Laurent), I perceived among these great names in fashion some values approaching sustainable development.
However I did not want to stay in this environment because I
want to go further in my approach . He was very particular important for me to build quality relationships with people working for my collections. Respect and mutual trust in the service of creation.
Moreover, at that time the market
ready-to-wear ethics was almost nonexistent . Some pioneering brands such as IDEO, Ethos, Kâmakalâ, The Fairies of Bengal had led the way but the possibilities were (and are) huge.
My initial idea (which has not changed since) was to create an ethical fashion that nevertheless
seduce my prospective clients in style and not by its commitments . He always been clear to me that bio would be a means to an end.
What were your main inspirations for the Autumn-Winter 2010-2011? It's hard to give you 2 or 3 sources of inspiration in particular. I would say
I fed my imagination throughout the year through my meetings, my travels, my reading. ..
I store it all and when I start a new collection, I pull my books, my pieces of fabric, my photos ...
and selects those that inspire me most and which are most consistent.
you trying to follow the trends can be observed in conventional brands of ready-to-wear? No, I'm not
"trend" . Sometimes I obviously go to trade fairs but I must say that I am not sensitive to this kind of phenomenon. My collections
like me. I work first on the stroke of heart and love to create clothes that I myself enjoy wearing. If these correspond to a fashion creations, fine, otherwise there is not the point.
My Creations are more timeless than what can be found in major brands of ready-to-wear. I wish for the moment confine myself to
small collections containing between 12 and 16 models . So I have to go to basics, creating
silhouettes that seem indispensable for the season .
I am becoming somewhat opposite to the side very ephemeral fashion classic. Like for example
take a garment that had worked well there are one or two seasons
and bring him a note today .
To give you an example, this winter jacket is actually the Mona short version a jacket that I created for a previous collection.
Style "A Summer in Autumn" should be identifiable by the consumer. is a silhouette, it is material, codes ...
Can you tell us about your latest collections and perhaps more particularly the fall-winter collection currently available? I
currently three materials: cotton voile I use for my creations summer, cotton canvas
for tops, blouses ... it adds lightness clothing and finally the
Twell for creations that require more than held as jackets, pants, skirts ...
I am currently working on the Autumn-Winter 2011-2012, and I can tell you that
merino wool will be the big news this season! Otherwise outside material,
I really enjoy working on colors . I deliberately chose to build my collection around a smaller number of colors. For the Autumn-Winter 2010-2011, gray, black and dark blue are in the spotlight. This choice allows me to bring lots of
sobriety and graphic design my silhouettes. This style is part of "The Man in the Fall."
This also allows me to effectively manage my inventory of fabrics, because as a young designer I find it difficult enough to manage the procurement of raw materials as a function of business development ... That's why you can find for next summer touches of blue, a nod to the previous collection and sign of continuity.
Why did you choose to make your collections in India and not in France? It very simple.
"A Summer in Autumn" is a style but also a range of prices. I try not to cross certain boundaries. A dress for instance should not exceed 105 euros in stores. I bring attention to what many people would have access to my products.
My clientele is very broad. It ranges from 25 to 50 years. At every period of our lives, we have funding priorities are summarized rarely buy a dress. I think it's important as a creator of ethics to keep that in mind.
Moreover, a purely logistical point of view, organic cotton is obviously not produced in France, I think it is quite relevant
manufacture the products in the commodity producing countries .
Finally, it gives me real satisfaction
to contribute to improved living standards and professional growth a community of men and women previously set at the margin of economic development. I must add that their know-how in manufacturing are real.
Could you tell us about your main plans for 2011? My main concern for 2011 is to develop my
distribution network in order to be present everywhere in France. Otherwise
since September 23, 2010, I have the honor to dress
home agents Athenaeum Theatre Louis Jouvet in Paris . This collaboration is expected to last until the end of the season.
Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions and good luck Marie!
