Since 1892, Causse has been one of France’s premier glovemakers and remains the oldest glove brand in the country. Hailing from Millau, an area synonymous with high-end leather goods manufacturing and, particularly, the art of handmade gloves, Causse has been supplying the grand couture houses and fashion labels for over one hundred years. Indeed, the firm is part of the Chanel Maisons d’Art initiative celebrating their distinct heritage and close relationship with the iconic fashion house. Causse gloves can be customised to the client’s particular preferences making them a highly coveted marque.
Tag Archives: FRENCH
ARTLING
Opened in 2010 as a made-to-measure tailoring establishment, Artling has grown to offer a full bespoke suiting and shirtmaking service to the most dapper of Parisian gentlemen. Famed for their vibrant and quirky flourishes, Artling has developed a reputation as a go-to outfitter in the fashion capital.
LANCEL
Founded in 1876, Lancel began as a producer of luxurious smoking instruments and gentlemen’s accessories, silverware, dinnerware and even timepieces. However, it was their leather goods and complementing travelware that would see the brand becomming a big hit with Parisian society. The firm slowly repositioned itself as a manufacturer of elegant bags, luggage and leather products. Their trunks and suitcases were very popular in the age of steamship travel and the early years of aviation travel, putting the firm on a similar footing to other great malletiers of the age. The brand was acquired by the luxury goods conglomerate, Richemont, before being sold to Piquadro who currently steward this illustrious marque.
CHANEL
Coco Chanel began to ply her trade as a milliner of note when she opened her hat boutique in Paris in 1910. She soon expanded to include ready-to-wear tailored coats and sporting pieces to ensure the fashionable ladies of Parisian society were appropriately attired for their various sporting and leisure pursuits. Her designs featured elegant yet defined silhouettes and luxurious but practical materials which quickly came to define her house style and remain iconic and distinct today. The Chanel house would continue to grow, offering all manner of luxury goods, leather goods, perfumes and, eventually, couture designs. The brand is widely regarded as one of the world’s pre-eminent high-end luxury fashion brands.
MOËT & CHANDON
Founded in 1743, Moët & Chandon is one of France’s most renowned champagne brands, one of the grande marques based in Épernay. The house was founded by Charles Moët, a wine trader, who sourced the best grape crop in the region to produce his sparkling wines. The brand quickly became a favourite of French nobility and high society who greatly enjoyed the wine’s delicate but robust flavours. Moët grew to become one of the largest and most celebrated wine brands in France and, eventually, the world. Today the brand is one of the key marques under the LVMH stable (with the MH being an abbreviation of the brand).
S. T. DUPONT
When his carriage manufactory workshop burned down in 1872, Simon Tissot-Dupont endeavoured to begin anew, acquiring a small leather studio which would produce high-end leather goods and briefcases for the most rarified Parisian gentlemen. The brand was a success and he soon won contracts to supply the great department stores of Paris and further afield. Today, the Dupont brand is synonymous with exquisite luxury goods, including their leather goods range, ornate pens and, especially, their top quality lighters.
LE PROCOPE
Dating back to 1686, Le Procope is one of the most famous and storied restaurants in Paris. A brasserie of distinction, bedecked in ornate furnishings, grand artwork and gilded decor, the restaurant has long-been held as a bastion of traditional French cuisine. Throughout the establishment’s history it has been a celebrated meeting place for Parisian society, the intelligentsia and various luminaries in artistic and literary circles, particularly so in the days that the dining room acted as a café in the grand European café tradition. Indeed, the restaurant regards itself as the oldest continuously operating café in the city. The beautiful environs make the venue a particularly popular destination for Parisians and tourists alike, keen to try the classic fare on offer or to enjoy their famous confections or ice creams. Today, the restaurant is a key institution of the Group Bertrand collection.
HÔTEL GEORGE V
The Grand Dame of Parisian hotels, the Hôtel George V is an art deco masterpiece that first opened in 1928. The hotel was established to provide first-class accommodation and facilities to well-heeled travellers, particularly European nobility embarking on their Grand Tours and wealthy American transatlantic liner passengers visiting the city. The five-star hotel was commissioned and built to an extremely high specification, beyond the norm for hotels of the age, due to the very exacting standards and precise demands of its American owner. The hotel is a beacon on the Parisian landscape, hosting many society events and being an extremely popular destination for luxury weddings. The hotel’s grand dining room, Le Cinq, is an internationally acclaimed Michelin-starred restaurant (having as many as three stars at one point). The opulent hotel offers a range of bedrooms and suites to their discerning clientele, complemented by an array of facilities and amenities, including a spa, swimming pools, wellness centre, multiple eateries and bars, meeting rooms and a full concierge service. The hotel is a flagship in the prestigious Four Seasons portfolio, having transferred from the Forte group in 1997. The hotel has played host to a glittering list of world-famous superstars, world leaders and royalty, cementing its status as one of the world’s pre-eminent grand hotels.
VUARNET
In 1957 two Parisian opticians introduced a new, specialist lens to the market, designed specifically for skiers, the Skilynx lens was revolutionary. It would filter out the extreme reflection often experienced from snowy terrains whilst providing clarity and shielding the eyes from the elements. Having fitted them to sunglasses, they offered their product to the French ski team and at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, Jean Vuarnet won the gold medal in Downhill skiing. Wearing the Skilynx glasses, a partnership was born that would define the brand’s pedigree for ever more. Vuarnet agreed to lend his name to the enterprising start-up and the name would come to be synonymous with high-quality, luxury performance sunglasses.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
Van Cleef & Arpels is one of the world’s pre-eminent jewellery houses, famed the world over for their beautiful iconic pieces. The brand was founded in 1906 in Paris and, today, has boutiques in key markets across the world. Fashioning pieces to order, VCA is a high jewellery brand with a significant ready-to-wear selection, earning them a loyal and even royal customer base. Van Cleef & Arpels pieces are highly collectible. The marque is part of the Richemont conglomerate.
FITZGABRIELS 