sneak peek from the kids collection to be launched in april 2010!

MAY 2010 REFRESH YOUR LIFE!!

Oh yes, ladies, 2010 is gonna be an exhilarating year at rose la biche, believe me.
A year full of fresh designs, unexpected products with the launch of two brand new lines :
- a line for women made out of gorgeous linen - to be launched this summer
- a line for kids with casual-chic hoodies & dresses for your little girls - to be launched in very early april. Check these gorgeous photos, aren't these little girls too cute in rose la biche?? yes, you'd better keep your eyes wide open, ladies!

I wish you all the best for these next 12 months, may 2010 refresh your life like never before - and may rose la biche keep on revigorating your wardrobe, with fresh & unique designs :)

On a personal level, 2010 is indeed gonna be an exhilarating year for me with the birth of my baby girl in a month! that's the reason why the 2 rose la biche online shops will be closed for a few weeks - just the time for me to meet my new babe, take care of her and find my new rythm, et voila! I'll be back online, riding my sewing machine full of revigorated energy! yeepah!!

see you all soon online my friends! a bientot!

Yesterday was a really cool day. I spent 3 hours with the ETSY community in a great bar of Rue Oberkampf, a real joy for me to finally 'see' the faces behind the ETSY nicknames and virtually talented artists. And I have not been disappointed.

This meeting was made possible thanks to the admin team of ETSY NYC who is currently visiting us here in Europe. After a pit-stop in Berlin, Matt & Liz were yesterday in Paris where they invited all ETSY sellers, buyers, fans to join at Café La PLace Verte in the 11th arrondissement. Matt has been part of ETSY since day one (he was the founder's friend & room mate!) so his knowledge of the company is obviously extensive but most of all passionate, sincere and authentic. He loves ETSY, you can tell and he made a point in explaining to all of us how much of a comunity ETSY is first of all. As Matt explained, ETSY is a platform that helps artists to be able to promote and sell their art and eventually, make a living out of it.

The excellent news for us ETSY sellers based here in France is that ETSY is seriously thinkink of developping its presence here in Europe. If ETSY is now fairly well-known in the US (eventhought it was created in 2005), it is still unknown in France. I sometimes have difficulties to explain what ETSY is to my friends who never heard of it and the best way I found to actually present it is to say that 'it is an EBay for handmade products'.... Hopefully, I soon will not have to get into those weird kind of comparaisons since ETSY is planning on letting French people know who and what they are - yay!

As Liz explained (Liz is ETSY international developper in charge of the worlwide expansion of the website & the community since last January), ETSY will be investing in the next couple of months into the European market to help promote the work of ETSY Europe-based sellers. Promoting ETSY in the most genuine and organic way as possible just like they did in the US. They do not pretend to be an American company 'imposing' itself in Europe but rather a worlwide community broading its network giving a local focus to local artists in different countries outside the US.

Let me tell you that I LOVED what I heard. And I think all other France-based sellers who were there yesterday did too! It's great to be part of this amazing community who works hands-in-hands towards creating a marketplace supporting artists and their art, helping them to sell their work in the most fair way as possible. Isn't that awesome???!! ETSY, I love you! Anyway, we should keep an eye on ETSY in these following months, a lot of things are meant to happen on the French/European scene. I can't wait!

It was also a true pleasure for me to meet some other sellers I've been admiring these past years : fashion designer TortillaGirl (super sweet and very talented Becky is based in Lyon - so nice finally meeting you Becky!!!), clothing & accessories designer Malam, (Marie is based in Paris with her also talented photograph boyfriend, both genuinely sweet and adorable - revoyons-nous sur Paname!), jewelry artist LunaticArt (Mexican-born Berenice is not only gorgeous but truly sweet - tenemos que vernos Berenice!) and all others who still have no shop on ETSY but are about to open one! You guys all rock and it's a pleasure to share this market place with talented people like you :)

Anyway, as you can tell, I had a blast yesterday and I feel super motivated by this new internationalization phase of ETSY! you will too, believe me!!

4 unhooded hoodies to revamp your everyday winter wardrobe. HERE THEY ARE!

I'm super happy to be finally able to make these new gems and add them to the collection. I think they're all simple eye-catching yet totally impeccable PLUS they transition seamlessly from classic preppy to edgily undone - rocking your wardrobe like NEVER EVER before! I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I do :)

I big MERCI to my friend Julie M. and Mathilde. D. who very patiently stroke the pose for me - once again I feel blessed to have gorgeous friend who do not mind being model for a day even if it's freezing outside and a jersey hoodie is not exactly what you need to wear outside on the streets of Paris at the moment... so encore merci a vous les filles :))

Enjoy this new collection!

A few photos from East London where I spent a gorgeous saturday morning. Wish we had taken the hoodies to be shot there cause the light was just gorgeous - slightly white & dewy yet sharp & dreamy. But hey, I came back with nice photos taken in the West Hampstead neighborhood where my friend Mathilde lives. The winter capsule collection is now ready to be revealed - so stay tuned ladies, 5 brand new hoodies will be available on the next few days.... yay!

That's it! My Parisian ETSY shop just opened its door this morning after 2 months of transition between California and France! I'm so happy and exited!
I see you there and please, look back again in the next 2 weeks to see the new hoodie collection shot in Paris!!
a bientot!

My dear, very dear friends

Sorry for this long month and a half without giving news, without Twittering, without Facebooking, without being here on the blog with you. I have to say that I totally underestimated the gigantic task of moving back home after nearly 10 years out of the country - OH BOY.

I've been kind of lost in translation - even thought I obviously do speak French fluently. But it actually took me a while before getting rid of that feeling of being a foreigner in my own country - I know this sounds weird but it's really how I felt for the first few weeks. Long administrative procedures, insanity of renting a flat (which looks like going for an assault course), crazyness of finding a daycare for my son (a wonderfull nerve-wracking, distressing adventure), foolishness of finding a proper power converter for my sewing machine (hilarious? no, believe me), getting all the right papers for creating my company on French soil (in the end, probably the easiest procedure of all! superb) and depositing my brand, etc, etc. Anyway, you got it - it took me a while to get adjusted.

Getting adjusted to Parisian rythm, people, style, atmosphere and language (yes!). I felt a little bit like Scarlett Johansson on this photo - exept I'm not Scarlett Johansson and the background is not Tokyo. BUT I have the exact same umbrella and it is raining 'cats and dogs' on Parisian roofs.

But here I am, mes amis, back on track, back in the game. I will reopen my online boutiques on next monday, I'm just working on some last tiny, tiny details. And trying to enjoy 'the calm before the storm' - feeling groovy :)

I want to THANK YOU so very much for your patience, understanding and support during this transition phase, you have no idea how much your emails or convos on ETSY encouraged me! thanks so much!

See you soon online and check my ETSY store in the next couples of days!!

Remember last June Photo Contest, right? Well, I didn't had time to put all the photos you sent me from around the globe onto the online photo gallery and I thought it would be nice to finally look at them now here on the blog.
So here they are, all these gorgeous pics you guys snapped and nicely sent me. They are all amazing and I hope you will enjoy seeing them as much a I do :)
I keep thinking that there is NOTHING better than to see true customers wearing these apparels in true situation. Not that my models are out of the reality (as you know, all of them are my friends, have absolutely no experience in modeling and did these photo shoot session for me just to make me happy and have a little fun!) but I think it's great to see how each one of you Rose La Biche women wear your Rose La Biche tees and hoodies, how you make them yours. I'm alway happy to see how someone is wearing FROUFROU in a way I wouldn't have thought of before (I love Maria's photo taken on a boat in NYC, never thought to have the ribbon goes all the way behind the neck! it's a great idea!! thanks Maria :)).
Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy traveling around the globe with these gorgeous ladies.
Thanks again to all of you who participated, you guys ROCK!
MERCI!!

from LOS ANGELES, USA- Joy, the colorfull winner of this Photo Contest 2009. Joy is wearing COCO.

from TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Kate, who was very close to win this contest honestly, and her zen photo on her boyfriend's building rooftop. Kate is wearing FROUFROU.

from SEATTLE, USA - Emily and her happy, energetic photos. Emily is wearing PLUMAGE.

from TORONTO, CANADA - Susan and her architectural urban photo. Susan is wearing SPARROW.

from VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA - Debbie and her nature-inspired photo taken on her father's superb ranch. Debbie is wearing ROSACE.

from URUGUAY - my good friend/long-time client Fanny and her jaw-dropping, eye-candy photos. Fanny is wearing PEACOCK.

from FRANCE - French blogger Johanna and her slightly melancolic pause in front of her village ancient city-hall. Johanna is wearing FROUFROU.

from OHIO, USA - Kathie and her painting-like, colorfull photo. Kathie is wearing COCO.

from CROATIA - Masa and her lovely picturesque photo. Masa is wearing ORCHID in black.

from NEW-YORK CITY, USA - Claudia, my beautifulo Brazilian friend, pausing in front of the amazing Central Park. Claudia is wearing URBAN.

also from NEW-YORK CITY, USA - Chilean-born Maria and her beautiful smile while she is cruising Hudson River. Maria is wearing FROUFROU.

from SAN FRANCISCO, USA - my beautiful, very pregnant friend Ingrid somewhere in a gorgeous San Franciscan park. Ingrid is wearing CHLOROPHYL.

and last but not least, from BRAZIL - my two good friends/clients Vanessa and Lisette in front of a gorgeous mural in the Nordeste while vacationing. This was a photo they sent me a few weeks before the contest so it wasn't really part of it but I love it so much I cannot help but posting it again here!

Hope you enjoyed traveling with all these gorgeous Rose La Biche women! I will be uploading their photos on the online gallery very soon!! thanks again for all your entries guys :)

dear friends,

summer has taken a very unexpected turn here at rose la biche and I thought I'd use this August newsletter to inform you about the 'breaking news' keeping me busy here in California.

last month, my partner-in-crime (i.e. my lovely hubby) was offered a new job position back home in his native city of Paris. after 10 years out of France, it was first a shock to us but we quickly realized it was a great opportunity to get closer to our family and friends spread all over Europe. so we decided to take the plunge and we're moving to Paris in 3 weeks - hurray!

rose la biche is obviously traveling with us so sewing machines, t-shirts stocks, threads and ribbons are about to sail the Atlantic ocean for the next few weeks. I am very exited to get to work on my needles under the Parisian sky and I am sure this move is gonna be a source of amazing inspiration & creativity.

this is a big new chapter for rose la biche and I hope you will all be part of it. your constant support during these past 4 years have made rose la biche what it is today : a constantly growing, solid tiny label which is getting more cosmopolitan season after season - I cannot thank you enough for that. with now 25 worldwide destinations, I have become a shipping expert and mailing your apparel from Paris will not make any difference except that your envelope will now be stamped by the French 'La Poste' (our national USPS) - so chic!

rose la biche will be closing its Californian doors on August 11th to reopen its Parisian gates by mid-October. so please ladies, stay tuned! I promise you a 'magnifique' reopening and some gorgeous new Parisian designs! oh la la!

thank you so very much for your support and a bientot from Paris :)

Hey all! yes, I'm finally back from my month long European break, feeling utterly groovy! Paris, South of France, Lisbon, nothing better to recharge my batteries. Never ate that much, though, I'm gonna need a little diet now, not that French duck confit is heavy -no no no- but oh man, how much did I miss my Cobb salad!

Anyway, I'm back home in sunny S.F., ready to ride my sewing machine again and to beggin with, ready to send tees and hoodies to Mexico City for the first time - Welcome to Mexico, a new Rose La Biche country! thank you for your order Vera :)

Thanks to all of you who placed orders while I was away and patiently waited until I was getting back, your apparel should all be shipping by the end of the week, I will send you a confirmation message. My ETSY shop will open next week too, I've been missing the ETSY community so very much, I'm happy to be back in business :)

Hope you're all having a great summer time!! je suis contente d'etre de retour!!!

CONGRATULATIONS JOY!!
YOU ARE THE WINNER OF THIS 3RD PHOTO CONTEST!!

Your gorgeous photo embodies the 'urban-nature' feeling of Rose La Biche in such an energetic and refreshing way, wow!

I felt in love with your photographic perspective, the colors and the whole energy coming from this image and I loved to see the very Parisian COCO tee adapted to the very Californian L.A. lifestyle! urban-nature at its best! and aren't these little dogs the cutest thing ever?!!? man!

A big 'BRAVO' to you Joy, I'll be happy to make 3 tees for you, you'll have to tell me which ones you'd like :)

I must say that this year contest brought me an anormous satisfaction. It might sound a little selfish, but I wonder if there's anything better for a designer than to see his/her clients taking photos of themselves wearing his/her designs - well, I'm pretty sure that is the most fulfilling and satisfying thing ever. So let me tell you that seing all your gorgeous photos coming in during these last 15 days made me ecstatic! I was thrilled with everybody's originality and energy! you guys rock!! Australia, France, USA, Canada, Taiwan, Croatia, Argentina, all these countries, some of them so far away, wow I was nearly touched to tears honestly! THANK YOU SO SO MUCH for all the hard work and the time you took to do this, this is the best feedback I could ever EVER receive - MERCI BEAUCOUP :)

Now, s you'll see for yourself with the following winning photos, making a choice has been extremely dificult. These other winning photos speak for themselves. A very hard choice to make indeed :

Kate from Taipei, TAIWAN wearing FROUFROU -
Kate, your photo is soooooo gorgeous! I love the peace and zen energy coming out this place. I've never been to Taiwan but I can understand why you say it is a 'urban paradise' : I want to go there!! This photo taken from a rooftop overlooking Taipei is superb and I love the way to wear the chic FROUFROU tee. Merci for this beautiful snap, Kate :)

Susan from Toronto, CANADA wearing SPARROW -
Susan, what a great photo! super original perspective and lovely background! feels like a urban sparrow indeed! Merci for this cool snap Susan :)

Emily from Seattle, USA wearing PLUMAGE -
Emily is leaning against a stainless steel sculpture of a tree! I love the bright green color and the pause and the book and the smile! the whole picture is full of life and definitely urban-nature! Merci for this refreshing photo Emily :)

Debbie from Victoria, AUSTRALIA wearing ROSACE -
this photo remind me of a place back home in France near the vineyards. The huge tree, the brick house, the dewy light, the nature all around. I wish I could once fly to Australia where a lot of my clients live, your land looks so gorgeous! I loved your pause leaning against the wall with the tree behind you, it's really beautiful! Merci for for inspiring photo Debbie!

I will be uploading all the participating photos tomorrow and I hope you're not too sad if you haven't win :) I will be sending every single person who participated a little THANK YOU gift with a free-shipping code to redeem on your next order.

THANK YOU SO SO MUCH AGAIN to all of you who participated, I wish you all a wonderfull summer. I'll be flying to France by the end of the week to spend some time with my family, recharge my batteries and work on new designs for the fall collection, I will keep you posted :)

MERCI BEAUCOUP A TOUTES :))

Lucy

Yes, the time has come : ladies, I'm ecstatic and proud to announce the 3d annual PHOTO CONTEST open! yes!

After the success of the first two editions, I'm delighted to invite you again to unleash your creativity and imagination. In case you've been reading this blog for a while, you know how much I love photography and how much pleasure I have shooting every single new collection coming out of my design studio. But this Photo Contest is also a great way for me to get to know you guys a little better. This past year has seen new Rose La Biche clients coming from all around the World and I sometimes have to pinch myself to believe this is actually true : my tees and hoodies are indeed worn around the globe from Hong-Kong to Croatia.

But this Photo Contest is also made so that new customers who discover Rose La Biche can see the apparel they love worn by true Rose La Biche women and I love that idea.

Last year, Finland-based client Anna totally blown me away with her poetic urban-nature photo: she nailed what Rose La Biche is all about and she offered such a fresh, unique vision of the label that I was just speachless. So be ready to take up the challenge this year ladies, creativity is the key word!!

For this 3rd edition, the winner of the best photo will win any 3 tshirts from the collection!! THREE FAVORITES TSHIRTS shipped over to you free of any charges. Isn't that neat? Oh oui. And let me tell you, you're just a snap away from these tees and here is what you have to do to try your luck :

• SO WHAT TO I HAVE TO DO TO ENTER TO WIN? Oh, it’s super simple :
  

- grab your digital camera, find a cool background that is as urban-nature as possible AND that is very typical, specific of your country/state/city.
- strike the pose wearing one of your favorite Rose La Biche t-shirts in front of this cool background and snap a cool photo.
- email your photo at info@roselabiche.com with your name & mailing address BEFORE thursday May 28th, 2009. et voila!

I will be judging (oh my!) your photo on its artistic creativity of course but I will also pay a special attention to 2 main criterias : the 'urban-nature' feeling coming out of your photo + something that makes it totally unique as far as your country, state or city is concerned. 'Make it local' ladies, local!!!

• OK BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PRIZES?
  

Well, I will select 5 winning photos that will be displayed here on this blog while all the participating photos will be uploaded on the online Gallery. The 5 winners will receive the great following prizes :

1st prize : 3 FREE t-shirts of YOUR CHOICE from the Rose La Biche collection
2d to 5th prizes: a 20% discount on the t-shirt of your choice from the Rose La Biche collection.

• WHEN WILL THE RESULTS BE GIVEN?
  

You have 7 days (i.e. until May28th, 2009 midnight pacific time) to take your photo as I will publish the 5 winning photos on May 30th on the blog. Of course, all the participating photos will be uploaded on Rose La Biche’s online Gallery.

• WHO CAN PARTICIPATE AND HOW MANY PHOTOS CAN I SEND?
  

Anyone who is a client and owner of a Rose La Biche designs (tee, dress or hoodie) is eligible to participate. You can send up to 3 different photos.

et voila!!!! I wish you all the best for the next 15 days, May 28th is not far away so make sure you make the most of your next week-end ladies ;)

Ready? The contest starts… NOW! BONNE CHANCE!

If France was a perfume, it would have to be Chanel #5. Not that I'm particularly a huge fan of this perfume but it embodies what French feminity is all about. It's always interesting to see what model or actress Chanel is choosen to be the face of this highly iconic scent.
After Nicole Kidman, it is now French actress Audrey Tautou's turn to be the Chanel woman. The spot has just been released and it was shot by French Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet who was actually directing Audrey in the gorgeous film 'Amelie' - a film I loved so much I decided to call one of the tee of my collection Amelie.
The spot is beautifully shot, I love its sultry atmosphere and I suddenly wish I coudl travel in that train to Istambul...

I'm totally smitten with this little gem. Montreal-based artist Solange Guaida's style is "sometimes minimalist, and often with lines and shapes inspired by architecture". I cannot take her ruban ring out of my right hand, it kinds of call my eye when I sew. It is just so stunning.
I love Solange's comment on how she likes designing handmade jewelry, it makes me think of my own creative process regarding designing tshirts :"I love working with metal, the process of starting with a rough chunk of silver and transforming it into something beautiful with my hands". Check her work out and fall in love too.
Merci encore Solange pour ce joli bijou :)

Alpha Blondy was playing live at The Independant yesterday night and he grabbed my hand while bending over the stage to salute the huge crowd of fans. OOOOOH yes that made my day :)

There's nothing like a good reggae night to cheer me up. Merci Alpha :)

OH NICE!
The interview I gave to great Australian Fashion Magazine Pocketto is now available online!

Check it out right here, right now! pages 16-17