
Natacha Ramsay-Levi
Chloé
Ramsay-Levi had been on Parisians’ radar long before January 2017’s announcement that she would be taking Clare Waight Keller’s place at Chloé. A decade ago Ramsay-Levi was something of an it-girl and party-page fixture. She wanted to be a historian until she saw Nicolas Ghesquière’s work for Balenciaga, joined the company as his intern and graduated to a designer role. When Ghesquière moved to Louis Vuitton in November 2013, she followed him as creative director of women’s ready-to-wear, earning a reputation for translating his direction into saleable looks. He remains one of her most vocal supporters. ‘I have watched her grow into the determined and talented woman she is today,’ he said recently. ‘It is going to be very exciting to see her rise and create her signature.’
Ramsay-Levi’s insider experience and her product savvy attitude made her the ideal candidate for Chloé at a crucial time for the house, which recently revealed ambitious expansion plans, including an array of new stores and a greater product range. The first Frenchwoman to lead the brand in more than 25 years, Ramsay-Levi says of her take on the Parisian maison: ‘Chloé girls have a suave mix of sophistication and humility; they are timeless but never conventional. I want to continue to shape their course, staying true to the independent and intellectual spirit of Gaby Aghion [Chloé’s founder], and to those who perpetuated this democratic style, so resolutely feminine, so joyful.’
Ramsay-Levi’s first collection, presented last September, drew rave reviews for its sense of ease and affirmed femininity. Graphic flower-printed dresses mixed with dressage-inspired silhouettes, camel tailoring, 1970s-infused slouchy trousers and woven leather boots. Her debut collection is available to purchase at a Selfridges pop-up in London, until 18 March. ‘I want to give women the opportunity to show their inner strength, not their power. That’s the personality of the woman I am drawn to.’
Left, Natacha Ramsay-Levi. Right, A velvet suit stamped with Chloé’s prancing horse motif