LOU’S NEW NARRATIVE: As far as family lineage goes, Lou Doillon’s tends to supersede her own biography. That’s the deal when your mother is the style icon Jane Birkin, your father is the prolific director Jacques Doillon and your half-sister is the actress Charlotte Gainsbourg. Now with the help of & Other Stories, Lou Doillon is writing her own narrative by serving as the muse for the retailer’s Celebration collection.
The raven-haired actress, musician and model has helped & Other Stores’ Paris atelier come up with reimagined classics. Having always been influenced by men’s style in the Seventies, Doillon said, “This was a very easy shoot for me, as the style of this collection was very close to mine. I’m really into the velvet suit with the white shirt.”
Photographed by Edouard Plongeon at Le Trianon Theater in the 18th arrondissement, where Doillon staged one of her first performances, the shots include ones of her playing the piano and strumming a guitar. The musical photos may also serve as a precursor for her third album, which will be out next year. Earlier this month she took to the stage with former Pulp guitarist Richard Hawley and John Grant for three concerts.
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“I’ve always adored fashion, as I find it to be the universal language. I use it as a medium, just like singing, or drawing; it’s a way of presenting my ‘sensible.’ I admire artists who create a persona, an alter ego, that’s actually foreign to their actual/private style,” she said. “My approach to music is very different. I started late, was already known for transforming myself, through roles in movies, or in fashion stories, and so had a desire to show who I actually was. That’s why I decided to stick to being me in and out of the light. I wear the same clothes, before and after a performance.”
Looking to create a collection that captures “the iconic sense of style associated with French women,” Georgine Le Toqueux, designer at & Other Stories, described Doillon “as the ultimate French muse.” She said, “All the pieces in this collection, from the rich velvet suit to the feminine dress, are designed with her in mind. Influenced by the past but reinvented for the modern woman, this collection has a touch of elegance merged with rock ’n’ roll, and Lou helps to tell that story beautifully with her style and attitude.”
This teaming with & Other Stories is the latest fashion project for Doillon, whose résumé includes gigs with Givenchy, Gap, Chloé and Visionaire, among others. Doillon’s selections for & Other Stories will be offered in the company’s stores and on its web site at the end of this month. Retail prices will range from $85 to $350.