The new Sézane, she says, will be slower, more intentional. “I decided to stop the rhythm. I really said, ‘OK, we are going to stop the growth,’” Sézalory says. New items will be released on a monthly cadence, but more edited.
It’s a risky move to change Sézane’s formula as its mainstream success is peaking across the globe. The Parisian fashion house has hit its stride in recent years, thanks to its French girl style and accessible-but-elevated market positioning, falling somewhere more premium than a J.Crew or an Anthropologie but more approachable than a Toteme — an ideal spot as luxury prices edge higher, boxing out the many consumers who still value quality. Women in their 20s and 30s have been drawn to Sézane like moths to a flame, stocking up on the lacey button-downs, knit sweaters, beachy totes and prairie dresses to fill their work and weekend wardrobes. Why mess with something that works?
“It’s a reflection of me growing up. I feel like I’ve been in school for 20 years, and now I’m ready to actually launch Sézane with awareness and intention,” Sezalory says. “Before, the story was so spontaneous and instinctive and organic and without any time or even desire to step back and really look at it and think about it.”
Another reason to relaunch? She can. Sézalory remains her brand’s largest stakeholder, though it’s brought on minority investors in 2018 (General Atlantic) and 2022 (Téthys). The company is also profitable, a financial positioning that gives the founder the freedom to invest in higher quality materials, moving Sézane slightly upmarket, while shifting the editorial styling to feel more sophisticated. She wants to push herself to be better in a market that’s rife with competition and caters to a fickle customer. “I really want to improve each day,” says Sézalory. “It’s not changing everything — it’s choosing better, creating better and giving myself and the team the resources and the time. So we needed to slow down and organize things differently.”
Photo: Courtesy of Sézane