Sisters Elsa and Johanna Lepeu started leather goods label ZOOBEETLE in 2012, having both spent about a decade working in renowned fashion houses – Elsa, the head designer, was a former designer at Chloé, and Johanna, head of product development, worked at Lancel and St. Dupont. Created in their showroom in the Marais, the line that began as a travel bag company has expanded into an exquisite leather goods label, which also welcomes collaborations with other artists and designers. The collections are currently stocked in the company’s very own Hong-Kong based concept-store Château Zoobeetle, along with a few selected retailers yet to be announced in the following months. We sat down with the founders to discuss the ways their brand has evolved, their namesake boutique in Hong Kong, and future plans.
What is your background, and how did ZOOBEETLE Paris come into fruition?
Johanna: We both come from a luxury leather goods background: Elsa used to be a designer at Chloé after studying at Central Saint Martins in London, and I used to work for St. Dupont and Lancel in product strategy for almost 10 years.
Elsa: ZOOBEETLE Paris came to life when we took the decision to finally work together: we have always been on the same page, sharing the same values and being super complimentary at the same time. Always so close yet so different, having the same common ground was an evidence! Started four years ago, when Johanna had it entirely planned, it was time to create something valueable together.
What type of silhouettes your label started with, and how has your line developed since?
J: Elsa used to say that her inspiration is found in the women around her: les Parisiennes. Elegance is not a matter of age.
E: Our first line was travel-oriented – we were looking for functional yet elegant bags to travel with. Light materials, simple shapes, loads of pockets. We kept the same principle for the other collections: light and functional – atemporal bags that please the younger, the older, the sporty, the chic etc…
Are there any materials you would never work with and others you would love to but hadn’t have the chance to do so yet?
J: Unicorn hair because it is so mean to hurt them.
E: Yes, of course! I’d love to work with embroideries, beading, exotic skins and box leather to name a few.
You are a young brand, however, have you discovered your strongest points yet?
J: Working in between sisters: there is no taboo, everything is smooth.
E: I guess that our strength would be our clientele – it’s very wide – and the aggressive price points for a great quality.
You also welcome collaborations in products besides leather goods. How did these collaborations come about?
E: It is all about my coups de coeur! We take in young designers who inspire us, brands we would definitely wear, who offer a savoir-faire we do not, like jewelry, watches, shoes or clothes.
Your collections are exclusively available at Château Zoobeetle. Are you interested in expanding your stockists worldwide?
J: We are actually working on signing contracts with a few that will be disclosed soon. However, we want to take our time to select our partners carefully. We want our clients to clearly understand our positioning.
How did you end up doing business in Hong Kong?
J: Hong Kong has always been a special city to us. Its dynamism and multicultural way of life made it really attractive.
E: It was both the need for a change, of course, and family reasons (our brother moved there years ago).
Based on which standards have you established your concept store?
J: We wanted something unique that would reveal our way of life, bringing all the stuff we love in one place. This approach is really selfish, we know it, but it seems that people are more than OK with it!
E:“Parisian Art de Vivre” – a place where you feel home, comfortable yet very high end.
How is your brand received in Asia as opposed to Europe? Any observations on consumer behavior in each continent?
E: We are actually very pleased as our products appeal to many types of clients from all around the world: locals, expats, tourists, etc. Some models or colors are selling better in Europe, others in Asia, but it’s quite stable.
What are your future plans?
J: We are working on re-opening a beautiful but kind of confidential space in Paris. Lots of surprises to come, we will keep you posted anyway!
www.zoobeetle.com
Images © Zoobeetle
