Luxury is no longer measured solely in fabrics or hours spent in the workshop, but in the perfect fit: that garment that seems to have been designed for a specific body and lifestyle. Between haute couture and prêt-à-porter emerges a a territory of its own where authorship does not renounce the everyday.
Ready-to-wear couture is the focus of our conversation with the designers at Malne: a collection with artistic direction that can adapt to the client while preserving their identity. Our interview explains how a designer piece finds its place in real life, adapting to each woman's body and style, with the freedom to start from a pre-existing base.
What is prêt-à-couture and why does it represent a new way of dressing in luxury?
Ready-to-wear couture garments are handcrafted using haute couture techniques and produced in very limited series. They are sold in luxury multi-brand stores and department stores specializing in luxury goods. While not unique, they are limited editions.
The fact that they are made using the same concept as a bespoke garment, by hand, with haute couture details, and that the production run is very limited, makes the garment luxurious, but also more accessible since it is not a one-of-a-kind piece. In the world of luxury, this signifies brand expansion beyond the atelier.
How can a designer collection be adapted for a woman without losing its artistic direction?
A woman who comes to Malne knows what she's coming for. She likes our vision of fashion and our collections, and she knows that what she wants she'll find at Malne. A regular haute couture client never comes in to buy something that belongs to the artistic world of another designer.
There may be occasional customers who aren't used to dressing this way and only do so for special occasions. But let's be honest, this type of customer, who has saved up to invest in a garment they love, looks at everything very carefully, and if they choose you after much deliberation, it's because they've found a creative DNA in Malne that they identify with. Therefore, we're not only losing artistic direction, but we're gaining that customer.
Why do many women seek out special designer garments without always starting from scratch?
Because they see it, they try it on, and they want it. A one-of-a-kind dress is reserved for clients who already have a great deal of trust in you, because otherwise, it would be an act of faith. We've had the honor of dressing an entire wedding for well-known people, because the mother of the bride is a regular client and greatly admires the artistry. She knows how to choose; it's her profession. Therefore, she knows that what she's commissioning for herself, for her daughters, for the bride, for her mother, and other family members will not only be unique, but also a shared artistic experience for the whole family.
What difference does a custom fit make to a personalized luxury garment?
The garment fits like a glove.
How is the balance between collection, body, and personal style experienced in a fashion atelier?
As designers, we know that fashion, at its core, is about women. Our Malne woman is a woman of strength and her own unique style. This strength isn't always the same; it can stem from serenity or impulse, from the heart or a restless mind. And style, from our perspective as designers, can be more classic or daring.
We adapt a design to the requirements of each body through the pattern, and to the most personal tastes through the colors and fabrics.
We like to bring out the best in that client, not "cover up" defects but enhance them.
