Ask a chic Parisienne what her preferred daytime tote is, and chances are it will be a Gerard Darel handbag. Known for its effortless style and beloved by French mothers and daughters alike, Gerard Darel, a family-run clothing and accessories company, has been going strong since its launch in 1971. In England the brand is most famous for its iconic advertising campaigns, starring famous beauties such as Stephanie Seymour and Christy Turlington (the latest campaign, photographed by Sylvie Lancrenon, features Charlotte Gainsbourg). With plans to expand within the UK (it currently has a boutique in St John's Wood in London, and the bags are stocked in department stores such as Fenwick), soon it won't just be Parisian girls who swear by Gerard Darel. Here, company head Laurent Darel takes time out to speak to handbag.com
DR: In the UK we only know Gerard Darel from limited ranges in department stores, and the boutique in St John's Wood in London. Can you tell our readers a bit about the Gerard Darel brand?
LD: Gerard Darel has been exclusively dedicated to women from the very beginning, since 1971. Our style is very feminine, modern and timeless at the same time. Our inspirations come from various sources: personalities like Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn for their elegance, charm and 'allure'; Charlotte Gainsbourg for her way of being natural, for her talent as an actress and singer and for her particular style. We recently developed a very successful bag line that has been adopted by celebrities such as Eva Longoria, Halle Berry and Jessica Alba
DR: What does Gerard Darel mean to French women?
LD: Gerard Darel has always been concerned with giving satisfaction to women in terms of quality, style and price; the selection of fabrics and exclusive prints, quality of manufacturing and fitting, as well as being a brand with its own personality. Our customers, often mother and daughter, are very loyal and are conscious in choosing our brand that they will look trendy and feel comfortable, but will never look like a fashion addict
DR: Why should British women wear Gerard Darel ?
LD: For the same reasons as French women and women in many other countries: we dedicate our collections to an active, modern woman, who manages to combine a career and her family life with talent. She is curious, she likes fashion, she has a strong personality and a lot of charm
DR: Tell us something we don't know about Gerard Darel
LD: Gerard Darel is involved in social and cultural events, and sponsored the exhibition in Paris at UNESCO, 'Kennedy, The American Dream', which showed 150 photos by Jacques Lowe, official photographer of the Kennedys. Mr Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Mr and Mrs Salinger and Mr Jacques Lowe, as well as many others assisted at the opening of the event. In 2003, Gerard Darel won a telephone bidding war for the so-called Proust Questionnaire, dated to 1886, which we edited in French and English
DR: Why did you choose Charlotte Gainsbourg as the face of your campaign?
LD: For her way of being natural, for her talent as an actress and singer and her particular style of being and wearing garments she is corresponding to; for being modern and timeless and for fitting perfectly in her time without being a fashionista
DR: Is there anyone else you would like to represent the brand in future campaigns?
LD: In my opinion, a brand has to surprise without straying from its core values - that is the reason why I will keep our new project secret!
DR: Charlotte recently said in an interview that she only wears Balenciaga. Does that bother you?
LD: This is specifically why we choose her: for her natural, frank manners, and her freedom. That's her way of being for everything in life. She cannot be put into a special category, which makes her interesting, and that's why she is successful
DR: Which British celebrities would you like to see in Gerard Darel ?
LD: Mischa Barton, Helen Mirren, Charlotte Rampling, and Kristin Scott Thomas
DR: What is the best thing about being a family business?
LD: The rapidity of decision-making and happiness of sharing new projects
DR: What does the future hold for Gerard Darel?
LD: I would love to expand shops inside the UK and in the most prestigious places in the world
Gerard Darel, 78 St John's Wood High Street, London NW8, tel: 020 7586 9027
