 Marie Soudré-Richard is the founder of niche childrenswear boutique, Little Fashion Gallery  . Marie worked in the beauty industry before relocating to Paris to found her business. She is based in Paris but her heart is in London.
We had a coffee with Marie to find out what inspired her to set up her own business, dig deep about all about her shopping habits and discover where she likes to shop online.
 What inspired you to create Little Fashion Gallery?
I was working in marketing in the UK and saw the rise in the possibilities that the internet was bringing. When I moved back to Paris three years ago I realised there was a gap in the market for luxury clothing and furniture for kids. With sites like Net-A-Porter opening up the market, I realised that people were becoming ready to buy online, just as long as the content and service from ordering to receiving was of the highest standard.
What makes your product unique?
Well the whole concept of Little Fashion Gallery is niche and perhaps a bit risky. People don’t come to us to get a baby blue or pink smock for their child; they come to us to find something a bit original and to find designs that they wouldn’t have thought of.
How do you get a good work/life balance?
With an 18 month old child I aim to stick to normal working hours but I have to say that it's more intention than reality. When the business started with just a few of us round the kitchen table we all worked crazy hours but now we’ve got a bigger team everything seems to have calmed down a bit and I like to make sure I have my evenings with my son. Once he’s in bed though, I can still find myself with my head down till at least 1 or 2 in the morning! It’s addictive.
 What’s your best selling product / label?
For kids it’s definitely Finger In The Nose jeans. At £165 a pair it does seem a lot at first but they're such a perfect fit - I've heard people say that it gets easier when you get go back to buy the next pair. Slightly dangerous in fact!
For babies it has to be Album di Famiglia . The material is so soft and luxurious against both mother and baby’s skin and whilst their colours aren’t what you’d exect to dress a baby in, they're just gorgeous.
How would you characterise your fashion style?
Although I'm passionate about fashion, I’d say my style is pretty classic -although someone told me the other day that my style was very eclectic! I guess I like understated. I love wearing an American Apparel T-shirt with jeans and maybe something a bit vintage to go with. My Mum had the most amazing wardrobe so I like to mix some of her clothes with my own.
Where do you buy your denim and why?
I'm addicted to jeans; I love Acne , Superfine and now Finger In The Nose. They're just developing their first adult range which we hope to sell on the site - I've tried a pair and they're amazing to say the least.
 Where do you buy your cashmere and why?
I wear lots of my Mum’s old cashmere but I also love Brora and Marni . I’m wearing one of my favourite Marni jumpers at the moment and I’ve worn it so much I’ve just noticed there’s a hole in it - actually it’s probably about time I did something about that.
If you’re buying luxe lingerie where do you head and why?
I don’t tend to buy especially luxe lingerie, I just stick to Marks & Spencer and Calvin Klein for safe, pretty comfort.
Heels or flats and where do you buy them?
I'm really tall so it has to be flats and Matches is my weakness for shoes especially when it comes to Lanvin . He has the most gorgeous collection of flats and heels that I find pretty hard to resist.
Where did you shop for your maternity wear?
I was really lucky and only put on 141bs when I was pregnant so I managed to wear all my same clothes but with my trousers worn very low and a big band around my waist. I finally gave in towards the end and bought a great pair of maternity jeans from Topshop but other than that I found maternity wear quite depressing.
 Where do you shop for your children’s clothes?
Caramel Baby and Child .
Do you eat organic and live an eco conscious lifestyle?
I try to. I eat organic and I’m very conscious about recycling properly, turning lights off and not putting heating on unless I really need to but like most people I could do more.
Do you ever buy food online and if so where from?
Yes I try to because it means I only buy the essentials. I'm easily enticed and often find myself at the checkout with a basket full of goodies that I definitely don’t need!
I've recently discovered a brilliant website called Natoora.com . It sells food from lots of little producers that they get directly from them to your plate far quicker than you would get going to the supermarket.
When I was in England I loved Ocado.com as well.
What beauty products are currently in your bathroom cabinet?
Having worked in the beauty industry for 10 years I'm slightly tired of it all; I prefer to follow my dermatologists advice now and stick to basic hydrating products like Dermalogica .
 What’s your signature fragrance?
I wore Marc Jacobs Perfume for years but now I just like to wear Chanel no.19 Body Cream. It just leaves a soft, subtle scent on your skin all day.
What’s your are three must-have make up products?
I love Chanel’s eye shadows because they have really amazing colours.
And then I am never without my black Mac Pro Lash mascara and Select SPF 15 foundation.
How would you describe the style of your home?
Very eclectic! I have a real mix of things in my home. I love art deco and the 1930’s but I also inherited some amazing Louis XVI Armchairs so I have old and new.
Where do you go for home furnishings?
I love to hunt around little shops for furniture so I don’t tend to buy it online but for children’s furniture we sell some really original pieces that are so popular they're never on the site for longer than 48 hours.
 What kind of linen do you go for and where do you buy it?
I love all of The White Company's linen and I still order from them even when I'm in France.
And finally, what are your five favourite online stores?
MatchesFashion.com
Amazon.co.uk
TheWhiteCompany.com
Net-a-Porter.com and
Ocado.com
|
