Jeanne.Chavany is a brand new label of luxury handbags and leather accessories entirely made in France catering to modern business women with a sophisticated interest towards fashion. Driven by a personal artistic flare and desire to create a modern concept of urban luxury, Carla Martin, the designer behind the brand, has developed an engaging sensitivity to leather goods. After working for international fashion brands for over a decade, Martin unveils her refreshing creativity through her breakthrough collection meant to be experienced with the senses; bold colors, intriguing textures and structured shapes adorn a whole range of luxury leather accessories – handbags, belts, bracelets and necklaces. We sat down with the young designer to discuss everything from launching a complete leather goods brand, the materials used for producing her designs to her ultimate goal for Jeanne.Chavany.
What were you doing before Jeanne.Chavany, and how did you decide to launch your own brand?
I’ve built my background in the industry working as a purchasing manager for several famous houses. My adventures with Jeanne.Chavany started out of necessity. A few years ago, I needed a new handbag. I was looking for something distinctive, something that would make me stand out, and fit my personality. My husband suggested, as a joke, that if I couldn’t find the right handbag, I should create one. I was hooked on this idea, as I have always been in love with leather. From that moment, I got more interested in leather, and started to visit tanneries to learn and understand this noble material, while surrounding myself with amazingly skilled artisans to make my ideas and designs come true. Thus Jeanne.Chavany was born.
Price is often associated with quality. Where do you stand on this? Do you think that high prices can be obstructing for a designer starting out?
Quality – down to the tiniest detail – is our main focus! It starts with the selection of the finest hides from French tanneries, to the hardware and workshops; no compromise is allowed from this point on. We are a niche brand offering products mainly dedicated to modern business ladies who seek quality, exclusiveness and wish to differentiate themselves and stand out. Moreover, we are deliberately limiting the supply to make our products more valuable. Each product is made upon request, so customers need to pre-order, and join the waiting list. Mass production definitely doesn’t fit our philosophy. Our offer is built upon uniqueness, values, a story, craftsmanship, and engaging with our customers. All these elements cannot be measured; not to mention that at Jeanne.Chavany we do not follow rules, but values.
Since the beginning, your brand has been offering a complete range of leather accessories, while most of emerging brands focus on one product. Could you please discuss this decision of yours?
We started with a single handbag style, our iconic Miss Jade, and shortly after we launched our accessories collection. The goal was to be able to offer leather pieces – bag, bracelets, belt, necklaces – of the same color for a total look. I personally have a huge passion for leather bracelets and necklaces; in my opinion, such accessories offer a completely different allure and mystery to a woman wearing them.
Your brand is based in Lyon. Do you think that location is important for an emerging brand?
Lyon is a wonderful city. It is the capital of gastronomy, and the nest of French silk and crafts – definitely a place to visit. I am so proud to be a Lyon girl! Location is important but not crucial, so it should not be an obstacle for any brand or designer. Today, thanks to the internet and social media, we can reach any destination, not to mention that traveling is not an issue either anymore.
What was the very first piece you created? How much has your aesthetic developed since?
The very first piece I designed was the Miss Jade handbag. My entire adventure has started thanks to this handbag. Through this journey, learning, developing and evolving have definitely been very important parts of the brand’s and my own growth, as well as dedication, commitment, responsibility, effort and self-improvement.
We take inspiration from different categories to breathe new life into ours, improve our products and the process from design to creation.
Do you have a signature? What elements do you make sure to include in all pieces?
The most important elements are quality and passion. Our artisans put their heart and fingerprint into each product, so clients can buy a piece of Jeanne.Chavany philosophy and values.
The main line we follow in is discretion, subtlety and minimalism, so we prefer to leave the products speak.
How do you feel about exotic leather?
There is so much beauty, character and elegance in exotic leather. It requires a specific know-how. Artisans are trained for several years to be able to work with it properly, as one mistake while cutting or sewing it could ruin the entire skin. We pay a lot of attention in sourcing it from France and Italy, from places that guarantee good treatment of the animals. This is very important for us, as it’s part of our ethic. For me, exotic leather means exclusivity. We use it on bracelets and necklaces for a special finishing touch.
What has been the feedback so far? Is there a specific design that has been – to your surprise – quite popular and vise versa?
Miss Jade bag is definitely our most popular product. Each piece we have launched has been well-received. The feedback is more than positive, especially on our latest product, Uchiwa necklace (the inspiration was the Japanese fan) made in limited edition for very few lucky ones.
Which would you say is currently the most efficient marketing tool for you to promote your work?
To promote our work several tools are required. I cannot say this or that works the best. For us, our network and customers’ recommendations are efficient. We also attend private events to showcase our collections and meet our customers. Internet is also powerful; Google is such an influential source for helping customers find luxury items.
Jeanne.Chavany is present on social media – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Facebook is one of the best ways to reach luxury shoppers thanks to targeted ads.
What would be your ultimate goal for your brand?
To be one of the major parts of the French luxury maisons, as well continue to stay true to our style, values, ethics, and integrity for the next 300 years.
www.jeanne-chavany.com
Images © Jeanne Chavany
