Octobre Éditions: Ten years of Parisian style
Founded in 2016 by Morgane Sézalory, who also created Parisian womenswear label Sézane, Octobre Éditions has spent the past decade building an international following with its easy wearing take on menswear. Now marking its 10th anniversary with a string of celebrations – including a capsule collection with Monocle – brand director Arthur Person sat down to reflect on a decade guided by a simple proposition: make good clothes and make them well.
What was the genesis of Octobre Éditions?
The idea was simple: to make the clothes we were looking for but could not find anywhere else, either because others were lacking in quality or were too expensive. We started with a pop-up shop and it was amazing to see the results. You could tell men were waiting for a new brand.
Which details have come to define the label?
Since the beginning we have focused on the essentials. The Will jacket has been a signature design of ours since day one. It’s a workwear jacket that we have reinterpreted slightly and it’s a good symbol of what we love to do. More of a signature detail is our use of texture, such as creating the perfect vintage-feeling T-shirt that you will want to reach for again and again.
How is European manufacturing central to the brand?
It was really important to us to find suppliers in Europe and create good relationships with them. Today, about 85 per cent of our total production happens in Europe. And we are still working with some of the manufacturers from the very beginning. We have grown together and I’ve learned a lot from them.
What made Monocle the ideal fit for this anniversary moment?
With Monocle, it was obvious. Your cafés in London and Paris both happen to be a short walk from our shops in each city. The Monocle Cafés feel like home because we have the same mindset – the same taste for architecture, for quality, for everything. When it’s like this, the conversation is easy.
A decade on, what are you most proud of?
I’m super proud that we have improved and grown but kept the same DNA. Ten years ago I was 27 and this was my first real job. I grew into an adult alongside the brand, all while keeping our values in mind.
What does the next 10 years hold?
More is happening in the UK and the US. I want to grow, but not too fast. The best thing we can wish for is a steady path.
octobreeditions.com
