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French online brand Sézane gears up for London store opening

Lauretta Roberts
29 August 2018

French online fashion brand Sézane is set to open its hotly anticipated London store next week at 233 Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill, and its arrival is generating a lot of buzz in the capital.

The brand, which was founded by Morgane Sézalory in 2013, has gained a loyal following in the UK on the back of its strong social media presence and its positioning in the affordable luxury space; with dresses around the £150 mark or less and knitwear comfortably sub-£100 it is considerably more keenly priced than other French contemporary brands, such as Sandro and Maje.

Its store, which occupies a 2,061 sq ft unit, follows a successful pop-up which opened on London's South Molton Street in the run-up to Christmas. It is one of only five physical stores, or Appartements, operated by the brand with one in Paris, one in Aix-en-Provence, one in New York and a corner in Paris department store Le Bon Marché.

However it also operates two Conciergeries in Paris, which act as click and collect points, and an Atelier for its menswear line Octobre Editions.

In an interview with London's Evening Standard Sézalory said London had played an important role in the brand's history. “It all started 14 years ago when my sister moved to London leaving three bags of vintage pieces behind. I took out my camera and started an online adventure on eBay, without knowing it would be the beginning of my professional path,” she said.

From her eBay store, Sézalory went on to launch Sézane, which, as well as offering affordable price points, found favour due to its limited quantities and seasonless approach. The collection is anchored by essentials, such as its Jack sneakers and signature Will denim jacket, which are available year round while each month capsule collections are dropped with key pieces, and in particular those which have been previewed prominently on Instagram, often selling out within minutes.

Sézalory said she expected a £185 pair of ankle boots, the Will jacket and all of the brand's blouses to appeal to the UK market in particular. The arrival of the London store co-incides with a brand refresh and the dropping of its Autumn collection.

The brand recently secured backing from US private equity house General Atlantic, which took a 45% stake in the business. General Atlantic also invests in Tory Burch and Zimmerman.

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