What We Can Learn From Colette Roussaux and Sarah Andelman, Mother-Daughter Streetwear Duo
originally published on Forbes.com
“All good things must come to an end,” the tagline reads. It is the calling card for Colette, Mon Amour, a film dedicated to one of the most iconic retail destinations ever established. Colette was founded back in 1997, more notably, creative director Sarah Andelman began a curation of streetwear culture, using her foresight and aesthetic taste that accentuated her retail vision.
Colette Roussaux and Sarah Andelman, co-founders of colette at 213 rue Saint Honoré store.
HUGUES LAWSON-BODY
Opening up at the 213 rue Saint-Honoré location, Andelman had the intent to bring uniqueness to the Parisian shopping and fashion scene. After 20 years of ushering in the streetwear and Hip Hop scene into the high fashion realm, Colette suddenly chose to close the store. The end came on December 20, 2017, and is now the pivotal sentiment of the Colette, Mon Amour documentary.
Directed by Hughes Lawson-Body and co-produced by La Pac, Elain Lason-Body, and Highsnobiety, Colette, Mon Amour is a view inside the final days of operation for a concept store that arguably influenced the world if not just the fashion-commerce culture and business. Commentary from celebrities like Pharrell, and Kanye West, artists like Futura 2000, Kaws, and French film director, Loic Prigent, as well as fashion designers like the founder of Off-White and Men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton, Virgil Abloh, founder of Sacai, Chitose Abe, founder of Ambush, Yoon Ahn, founder of Kith, Ronnie Feig, and founder of A Bathing Ape, Nigo, give a sense of the gravity that Colette had on pop culture.
On the night of the closing, the staff gathers in front of colette for one last family photo at 213 rue Saint Honoré location.
KARL HAB
Exploring the 20 years of the store's existence is more than a sartorial salivating daydream, Mon Amour gives insight into the business aspects involved in maintaining their streetwear credibility and reputation. Lawson-Body is highlighting the acumen to start something new and remain fresh for two decades. Perceivably none of it would have happened without the foresight of creative director and co-founder Sarah Andelman, and Colette remained ahead because of it.
Virgil Abloh in “COLETTE MON AMOUR” documentary.
HUGUES LAWSON-BODY
From the time the store opened its doors, Colette set a new precedent not seen in Paris. “Colette was the internet, before the internet,” says Kanye West. The internet was less of a highway and more like an alley then, and Colette made street culture a staple within the stuffier confines of Paris fashion aesthetic. Colette brought a new color to Paris fashion and retail. Well enough, it has been a model for streetwear centric retail stores since…
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