Buzzy Parisian Brand Destree Opens First Paris Flagship Store

The much-talked-about ready-to-wear and accessories label Destree, whose investors include A-List names such as Jessica Alba, Beyoncé, Gisèle Bündchen, Rihanna, and Reese Witherspoon, has opened its first retail space in the French capital. Founded in 2016 by Géraldine Guyot and Laetitia Lumbroso, the brand has gained a cult-like following for its contemporary and artsy identity. The first retail space was boosted thanks to Series A funding from the venture capital firm Sequoia Capital China. The all-female financing round was led by Angelica Cheung, a venture partner at the firm and the former Editor-in-Chief of Vogue China. Destree also boasts fashion and beauty industry heavyweights Carmen Busquets, Gabriela Hearst, Emily Weiss, and Amy Griffin, the co-founder of Social Studies event planning and career entrepreneur.

The store, located in the tony shopping area of Rue St. Honoré and Place Vendome on Rue 29 du Juillet and off a side street just off of Rue de Rivoli, is a neighborhood that attracts both locals and tourists. Guyot moved to New York, and the boutique reflects the two cosmopolitan cities that influence the brand’s particular style. The duo describes the clothes as graphic, structured pieces with sculptural, totemic-like elegance that are timeless yet unique.

Guyot’s new life in the Big Apple helped define the shop’s look through the network of artists and talents that gravitate towards Destree. She befriended Simone Bodmer-Turner, a well-known sculptor with a contemporary vision who aligns with Guyot’s and Lumbroso’s streamlined, postmodern approach for designs that are offbeat and expressive.

Bodmer-Turner’s pure lines and minimal chromatic palette were the perfect aesthetic for the 500-square-foot boutique. “At the crossroads of art and craft, Simone’s creative universe and stylistic signature immediately appealed to me. The curves, the purity, the softness of her work are mesmerizing. I immediately thought of her for our first boutique. This collaboration is also a way to bring New York to Paris and to make these two parts of my life coexist at Destree, which are intimately linked,” explained Guyot in a release.

Given free reign, Bodmer-Turner transformed the space by changing the sales counter to a sculptural mineral case that resembles a life-size sculpture. The all-white interior with recessed display shelves and clothing racks is reminiscent of AdobeADBE
housing of the Southwestern US. Other details created for the store include a Tulip lamp and centerpiece sculpture displaying small accessories and an angular backlit mirror hung as if carved into the wall.

“I am honored to have been asked by Géraldine to accompany her in this new phase. With great enthusiasm and excitement, I accepted the challenge of creating the brand’s first free-standing store. I admire the spirit that she breathes into Destree, mixing accuracy with stylistic references that are both timeless and sophisticated,” said Bodmer-Turner.

Simultaneously back in New York, the brand will shoot its latest collection campaign with photographer Camila Falquez, featuring model Meadow Walker and an all-female cast reflecting the brand’s values and desire to celebrate women.