MINI-ME: When Anne Valérie Hash arrived as Bonpoint’s artistic director in March, the first thing she did was look to the brand’s archives for inspiration. What she found was an extensive stock of unused Liberty fabric, which she turned into a patchwork resort collection for babies and children, creating limited-edition upcycled pieces that are proving so popular the label has now had to reproduce certain fabrics to meet demand.
For Bonpoint’s women’s collection, Bonpoint Paris, which launched in 2018 after young-adult line YAM (which stood for “Y en A Marre de Bonpoint,” or “had enough of Bonpoint” in English) was discontinued, Hash is also centering in on the brand’s heritage. The result is a pared-back collection inspired by the children’s line, with most items — a patchwork smock dress, padded jacket and constellation-print pajamas, for example — reprises of designs also available for kids.
“It’s very mini-me. Kids’ wear is the priority. Bonpoint’s adult customer is a woman who comes to buy for her kids first and foremost,” Hash explained. “To be legitimate and coherent with the brand’s DNA, the collections needed to echo each other.”
Bonpoint’s search for a new chief executive officer is ongoing after Marie-Sabine Leclercq stepped down from the role in May, as reported. Christian Piat, president and representative director of parent company EPI in Asia, is acting as interim ceo, with an announcement of new leadership expected in January.