By Deeksha Nanda
Laurence Dolige, {fondly called Lolo by her friends and family}, the name, the brand, the girl and the woman, all resonate one of the few things French folk are most admired for – Fashion. I first met Laurence in the Fall of 2011 at a party; there she was, swaying her hips to the music, her long blonde hair moving in accordance, sun kissed golden tan shining like sea kelp against the light, making her look like a vision with an outline of absolute raw sex appeal. Dressed in a black suit that very well looked like the creation of Saint Laurent, and a matching black bra, she was easily the one all eyes were on. We met, indulged in a dialogue and continued with our night. While I was made aware that she’s a designer, I never once thought to check her work out, a rookie mistake on my part.
Fast forward to the Summer of 2013, when Laurence and I crossed paths yet again. This time around, the setting was a private pool party and the ambience more relaxed, which got us talking. Dressed in an uber chic pair of tiny snake printed shorts, off set by a solid black off shoulder top, it was quite evident – Laurence could definitely dress up or dress down with absolute ease. While my first impression of her was that of a touch-me-not-goddess, it rapidly changed, making her enigmatic yet approachable. It was right then that I knew… hers was a story to be told.
{Laurence Dolige}
Anna Wintour once said, “Either you know Fashion or you don’t”. Laurence’s story is not too far from that. Born into a family that owned a textile factory, Laurence was gifted her own shop in 1987 by her mother, when she was all of 21. Interestingly enough, her Grandmother too was a patron of couture, thus making fashion pulsate in Laurence’s very being. It is important to note that she was not yet a designer, but acted as a curator of fashion instead. However, her distinct vision prompted her to host new collections in her store that would change on a weekly basis. While this boldness would shock most others, given that the French were used to seasonal changes in collections {and not weekly}, her attempt at bringing in an element of new is what set her apart and established a great clientele.
On the whole, Laurence’s life seemed to be a page out of a fairy tale book. But in reality, It was far from. In 1996, she moved to Paris, leaving home for the first time. This may seem like a queer piece of information considering present times, but back then, it was the game changer for our eclectic designer. Belonging to a rather traditional French family, Laurence was always the rebel, breaking boundaries, an element that is predominant in her collections, irrespective of the season. 6 months, a bad marriage and failed collaboration later, Laurence Dolige managed to set up ‘Madame a Paris’, the very brand that catapulted her to the top, making her an overnight success in markets such as Paris, Tokyo and Milan. ‘Madame a Paris’ narrated a story to its customers every month, so while one collection was focused on Madame a Paris with her cat, the next could be Madame a Paris on vacation. The success of this distinct story telling through design continued for 8 years before the brand became much bigger than the designer had anticipated. In 2004, the production for her collection shifted to India, but went unsupervised as the designer continued to stay on in Paris. It was only in 2007 that Laurence packed her bags and, along with her children, moved to her new home in New Delhi.
While most others have a more romanticized version of India, Laurence was candid about how it was a big move, emotionally. She said, “At first I didn’t know what I was doing here, in some parts it felt like I belonged here but there was this huge element of being an outsider that was pronounced on most days.” Naturally, being a foreigner who spoke little English at the time didn’t help, but she took on the challenge and came through with élan. I asked her to describe what Delhi/India meant to her, to which she replied “extreme, home, exciting, messy, freedom of expression & creativity, emotional ups & downs.” I respected her forthcoming nature, which was a fresh change from the ‘done a million times’ responses of several others.
She carried on narrating an incident, which best summarized her entire experience up until that moment. “It was my first visit to Benares and I am so grateful that I could make it happen. There I was by the Ganga in the morning, watching a body burn, and right beside it was a local taking his morning bath. That sight drowned all my fears, reiterated the idea of reincarnation and acted as an emotional release.” While this would make most stomachs weak, for Laurence the ‘release’ translated into her newer designs. When asked, every designer talks about how their collections are a representation of who they are. For her, it is the beauty of Parisian fashion blended with Indian textiles and presented to the audience with a twist of her upbringing in Rouen.
Her more recent collections have a strong presence of block prints, zari work and cotton fabrics, but it would be naïve to believe that she’s ‘India’ inspired. “Every year I go back to my roots and culture to take whatever I can as my inspiration before returning to my home in New Delhi. On the plane ride back is when I make my notes, narrate the sights I’ve witnessed that then go on to become the basis for my next collection.” Laurence Dolige, the brand, boasts of lots of snake inspired dresses, pants, shorts, and skirts. Additionally she continues to produce classic denims, chinos and men’s shirts. Moreover, she designs bags and footwear, serving as a one-stop shop for anyone interested in looking “super chic,” as she puts it. The designer is all about the ‘twist’, mixing the old with the new, femme with masculine, girl with woman. As she eloquently puts it, “ I have finally grown up after all these years of refusing to, but I know the little girl in me is still very much alive.” No wonder we see a constant reinterpretation of the ‘classic collection’ mixed with her seasoned twist.
The label caters to the ultra luxe, ultra femme woman. “She is strong, independent, fearless, the one with the iron fist in a velvet glove. Funny, experimental, old school with oozing elegance – these are a few ways to describe her. Despite her strength, one must not ignore her obvious fragility.” So of course her muses tend to be the likes of Jane Birkin and a dear friend {asked to be left unnamed} who works as a stylist at Elle, Paris. It couldn’t be more evident that she loves to play with extreme imagery and androgyny. For proof, one only needs to see her designs – pairing a boyish pair of chino’s with flat leather sandals and an ultra girly blouse to go with it. The color palette, while mostly European, plays out against the Indian textiles such as linen, cotton and Kashmiri weaving; projecting an interesting story no less.
India’s own spirituality seems to have rubbed off on our elegant French belle, maybe that is why the capital continues to be her home. To Laurence, her store will always be similar to entering her home, as her garments are an extension of her personal space. One can see the growth & maturity in not just her designs, but also her personality. While at 21 she was this wild child, breaking traditions, to whom nothing seemed impossible, today she is softer, more calm & collected but still continues to push the envelope. Instinct driven, constantly in search of the truth and full of joie de vivre, she is no longer the ‘outsider’ but instead the ‘observer in the crowd’. Amen to her point of view.
Notes in our Little Black Book Delhi |
Laurence Dolige’s collection {handbags and apparel} is available at |
En Inde | 125/126 Meherchand Market, First Floor; Contact | 011 49050832
Moon River | D 16, Defence Colony ; Contact | 011 41617103
The post The Return of Belle Époque | Laurence Dolige appeared first on Little Black Book, Delhi.