SPOTLIGHT ON ROUJE
The Parisian brand has an incredible cult following thanks to its effortlessly cool founder, Jeanne Damas
Founder Jeanne Damas talks Parisian chic
Damas was modelling in her home town of Paris when she started to upload stylish but laissez-faire pictures of herself on to social media platforms – before Instagram was even a thing. Gaining a huge following and creating sell-out capsule lines with brands such as Reformation, she decided it was time to make her own mark. ‘It felt a necessity to me to create something on my own, and be active instead of being dependent of the desire of clients to work as a model,’ she explains.
In 2016, Damas launched her ready-to-wear brand, Rouje, exclusively online. Her collections are designed by women for women, which is a huge part of their appeal. ‘I believe this is an important part of our success, as we create clothes we want to wear ourselves,’ she says. ‘The style is very feminine but with some more masculine pieces as well, to be able to mix.’
Rouje holds on to exclusivity and charm by steering away from big seasonal collections, and by dropping small capsules every two months, which get snapped up in a heartbeat.
Rouje has expanded rapidly, introducing a much-loved beauty line in 2018, and Damas’s career highlight: a restaurant, Chez Jeanne, that adjoins the beautiful Rouje store in central Paris.
The brand’s dresses, knitwear and accessories are the bestselling pieces each season, all with a romantic vintage feel. Chunky cardigans, belted jackets, silky tops and high-waisted jeans make up the rest of Damas’s core collections.
With almost 1.5m followers on Instagram, as well as being one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30, and with a baby due this Christmas, there’s no stopping Damas.
As for her own shopping habits: ‘I love Merci in Paris,’ she says, ‘and I regularly swing by the flea market in Saint-ouen to seek out things for my home, especially vintage ceramics.’
MY STYLE
I have had the same uniform for 15 years: big sweaters and men’s jackets with boots in winter; a wrap dress with a basket in summer.
MY SKINCARE
I adore Joëlle Ciocco.
MY JEWELLERY
I wear some pieces my parents gave me, I love vintage, and the delicate pieces designed by my sister, Louise Damas.
MY CHRISTMAS LOOK
A hospital gown, as I’m due to give birth this Christmas!
BIGGEST LESSON FROM 2020
Take more time for yourself and to think about your decisions. In this fast-moving world, it’s important to have some distance to reflect.