Jeanne Damas has spent the past seven years – the amount of time that’s passed since she founded her Parisian fashion brand Rouje – as the unofficial queen of French girl style. Having started her career as a model aged 17, Damas says she started Rouje as a sartorial way to “reinvent the past” after designing collections for the likes of Reformation and Sézane.

The brand began with a sell-out line-up of patterned, vintage-inspired dresses but has grown gradually – adding everything from shoes and bags to make-up, skincare and Damas’s favourite, jeans (but more on those later). Previously only available online for UK customers, Damas has taken things one step further – with a freshly opened London store.

If you’ve become more than a little weary of online shopping since the enforced two years of it we browsed through during the pandemic, you’re not alone. “It’s funny,” Damas says, “I have a mostly online brand but I never shop online – I always need to touch things and try them on.”

Outside of Rouje, Damas is a legitimate part of fashion’s glitterati. She’s garnered a following of 1.5 million on Instagram, to whom she documents her particular brand of relaxed Parisian style – everything from red carpet shoots to quick iPhone pictures taken in her Rouje office (complete with leopard print rug and chic leather chair).

As the creative mind behind the Rouje collection, it must be exciting for Damas when she sees her collection being worn by women IRL. “It’s my favourite part of it,” she explains. “In Paris, no one really talks about each other’s outfit (unlike in New York, where people will go up to each other to tell them how much they like their style). But when I see someone wearing Rouje, I’ll always give them a smile.”

Damas struggled to work out the perfect location for her London stall. “East? West? I didn’t really know where to start, but South Moulton Street is perfect,” she says. Although stay tuned, because while this beautiful store is good for now – expect minimalist interiors and billowy curtains that let the clothes shine – there may be a second location on the cards, according to Damas.

The one question Damas gets asked most frequently is: what’s the secret to French style? “There is no secret,” she says, “but there are some things that I do and that I think lots of French women have in common.” In the spirit of generosity (and because in our heart of hearts, all we ever want to be is an honorary Parisian), here are Damas’s words of advice…

On Breton stripes

A striped top is a classic, but I love a sweater version. I have a cashmere one I love, but if it’s too warm for that, there’s a brand called Saint James that every guy in Paris gets their striped pullover from – I like them too because they’re a little oversized. I wear mine with a pair of jeans, a little coloured scarf tied to one side around my neck, red lipstick and a big men’s jacket.

On wearing jeans for any occasion

Of course, jeans work on casual days, but I love to go to a chic evening event wearing jeans. They work well with an evening top made from silk – I like ones that allow you to see my shoulders – and a pair of low heels. My perfect pair is a mid-rise, straight leg – because it’s a classic – and, with Rouje, I’m obsessed with getting our fits right on every body type. 

On the perfect laid-back bag

For a long time, I’d never wear bags because they felt a little bit too sophisticated for me – always made me feel too dressed up. Then I discovered the only thing I liked was a basket bag –  it feels more casual. They aren’t just for summer and daytime – you can break up an evening outfit with one and wear them with a big coat and trainers in winter.

On why belts are underrated

I love adding belts to my outfits – it’s like another piece of jewellery that you can accent your clothes with. Thick ones are ideal for adding on top of jackets (you don’t just have to use the fabric one that comes with it), while smaller, thinner ones are perfect for jumpers and dresses.

On perfecting the floral dress

They’re in the DNA of Rouje because we started with 40s-style dresses – floral prints, big shoulders and fitted waists. I wear mine with heeled mules and a basket bag with a big men’s blazer over the top – the oversized jacket makes it cooler and more modern (I buy mine a size up).

On loving leopard print

For me, it’s a classic – almost a non-print. It’s a way to play with femininity; it’s associated with lots of women who are simultaneously really strong and feminine – Diane Von Furstenberg, for example. You can never have too much leopard, but if you’re apprehensive, little touches are perfect, like a bag, a phone case or a belt.

On the one piece of jewellery she wears every day

I’m always wearing my silver hoop earrings – they go with everything, and I like having a jewellery staple I don’t have to think about. I also have a silver lucky charm that I wear every day that belonged to my dad. I think that’s the best way to find something you’ll wear regularly – to find a piece that means something to you.

On creating her perfect red lip

Red lipstick is my signature – but I don’t just use one colour; I can’t not mix them. I have a little palette where I’ll mix red with brown and add pink until I get my perfect shade. I apply it with my finger so it has a blurred effect. If you try it, don’t try to make it perfect – you can just use a cotton bud a clean up the line afterwards.

On where to find inspiration

My style inspiration doesn’t usually come from French women. For example, I wear slip dresses all the time but I discovered them in New York when I went there and saw people wearing what I thought were pyjamas on the street a few years ago. Now, I love them – they’re so comfortable and look very chic. All of this is to say, I get the most inspiration from elsewhere; I think people in London and New York are more creative with their style, and I love it.

On her golden style rule

For me, the key element of French style is less is more. I don’t like when I feel too sophisticated – I think it’s more chic to look less put together. For example, if I’m wearing statement jewellery, I’ll leave my hair messy. Or if I have bright lips, I’ll keep everything else really natural. It’s about balance – and is much more low-effort!

Images: courtesy of Vincent Ferrané, Rouje