Life in red: Jeanne Damas

Philippe Combres: As an international French fashion icon, how do you balance classic French style with a laid-back look in your designs for Rouje?

Jeanne Damas: For me, French style is not just about clothes, it's more about looks. I like more classic and timeless clothes but I always try to find the details that make the difference. A wrap dress like our iconic Gabin, for example, suits all body types and makes a difference with its buttons that hug the hips.

Philippe Combres: What are the reasons that led you to become an ambassador for the Maison des femmes and to collaborate with Xuly.Bët for the solidarity capsule?

Jeanne Damas: I have been working with La Maison des femmes de Saint-Denis since 2020. It is an essential place, integrated into a hospital that takes care of women victims of violence. We designed a first capsule with my friend, artist Nina Koltchitskaia in 2020. Since last year, we have been creating an upcycled piece every month for the benefit of LMF . It is very important for me to find meaning in my work and in my life in general. Doing fashion is a way to express your creativity but it is also for me a story of encounters and sharing. This is why collaborating with La Maison des Femmes is very important and inspiring.

Last summer I had the chance to meet Lamine, the creator of the iconic brand of the 90s Xuly.Bët thanks to our mutual friend Inna Modja who is the godmother of La Maison des Femmes, that's how this project was born.

Philippe Combres: Can you tell us about your experience as a photographer for this solidarity campaign, with Emmanuelle Béart, Nadia Tereszkiewicz and Finnegan Oldfield?

Jeanne Damas: By creating the solidarity collection with Xuly.Bêt, I had the idea of ​​shooting the talents myself because I wanted intimacy and trust. It's the first time I've shot 18 people for a single campaign and I have to admit that the night before I was a little scared and almost called a photographer friend to help. But in the end everything turned out well and I loved capturing those moments. I am very touched by the participation of all these artists that I admire.

I have been doing film and digital photography since my adolescence, I photographed my friends, my mother, my sister, Paris, my travels. This is how for ten years I unknowingly created the image of my Rouje brand. It was my eye and my sensitivity that expressed itself and that already spoke of what I do today. For me, fashion is above all about creating and telling stories with clothes, and that involves a lot of photography and film.

Philippe Combres: What attracts you to the character of Paloma Picasso and how do you prepare for your role in the Kaiser Karl series?

Jeanne Damas: Paloma Picasso is a true icon, I have a lot of respect for what she accomplished and it is an honor to be able to embody her. She is an independent woman. She managed to find her place, to impose her first name. It's a little intimidating to play a real character. For the preparation I immersed myself in research, books and all the interviews I could find. The work with the costume and beauty team helped a lot and was very inspiring, it's very different from fashion because they work on eras, emotions and so it's all a search that needs to be done. And of course also the other partners like Daniel Brühl, Arnaud Valois or Théodor Pellerin who are incredible actors and game partners and that helped a lot to get into character.

Philippe Combres: What is your advice for young women who want to develop their own style and find self-confidence?
I think the most important thing is to listen to yourself, not to be too hard on yourself and not want to erase your 'imperfections' because often it is precisely these details that make us different. Of course it's a job that takes time, probably the work of a lifetime.

Jeanne Damas: I don't really like the rules for styling or makeup. I am a very instinctive person and I like accidents. I think the French style also fascinates because it is imperfect. When I work on my Rouje collections I always think of the woman before the garment, I like that the latter reveals the woman. The best compliments I can receive is when the women we dress tell me that they feel special when they dress in Rouje. I call it feel-good clothes that make everyday life more beautiful.

Philippe Combres: How do you see the future of your career in fashion and design?

Jeanne Damas: My career has always been shaped by my encounters. I trust my instincts. First modeling, theater training, fashion, then the launch of Rouje, it was all logical evolutions and ultimately linked and fed from each other. I am self-taught, but for more than 10 years I was able to work with stylists, designers and photographers, I was able to sharpen my gaze and learn a lot about how to work on a collection, image creation.

For the immediate future the focus is of course Rouje, to grow the brand but always keeping its authenticity and its values. Projects like 'Kaiser Karl' or the books I've been able to do are such exciting projects that feed my creativity in general. I like to juggle projects and not fit into any boxes.

Philippe Combres: What are your future projects for Rouje and Les Filles en Rouje?

Jeanne Damas: We are in full retail development. It was in progress for a long time but delayed due to the pandemic. It's very important for me to make Rouje a physical experience for clients, to make it more life-style. We started with the online store, but nothing replaces the experience of being able to try on and touch the clothes in real life. We opened our first store in London in May, this summer we will open our flagship in New York but there will also be a second store in Paris and a store in Bordeaux. With my Les Filles en Rouje beauty line, we have just launched a 100% clean face and hair care line. The range is growing and we will add new products from the start of the school year.

Philippe Combres: Can you share with us an anecdote or a highlight of your career in the fashion industry so far?

Jeanne Damas: It's hard to name just one, in terms of the fashion show I spontaneously remember especially Jean Paul Gaultier's last fashion show. It was a show full of energy and joy! There were all his muses Rossy de Palma, Mylène Farmer, Béatrice Dalle; Catherine Ringer singing, unforgettable!