Printemps NY Welcomes Camille Fournet Handbags On Its 80th Anniversary

The display of the Camille Fournet bags.

Photo by Quadir Moore/BFA.com courtesy of Printemps New York

When Printemps opened their magnificently designed and merchandised store and culinary hot spot in March, then Printemps Group CEO Jean-Marc Bellaiche explained the new venture this way.” Printemps has been reinventing retail since 1865, and this store is no exception. This is a French apartment in the heart of NY, where French curation meets American hospitality.” He also alluded to the area’s culture and wanted to contribute to that landscape.

Since opening, the brand has hosted French brand Balmain with an exhibit of the house’s archives, hosted a kickoff event ahead of the Perelman Performing Arts Center’s Icon of Culture Gala honoring Diane Von Furstenberg, and feted French brands St. James and Coperni, among others. Now under the leadership of Thierry Provost, Printemps Americas CEO, the mission to introduce the American shopper to French labels and culture continues. The latest introduction of Parisian luxury leather goods company Camille Fournet is landing stateside at the tony retailer for its US sales debut as the brand celebrates its 80th anniversary.

To celebrate the brand’s artistic director, Claire Aubadie-Ladrix hosted a dinner on the store’s second floor, complete with a dance performance by GRAHAM100 dancer PeiJu Chien-Pott to celebrate the bags that arrived earlier in the year. Just before the multi-course dinner by executive chef Gregory Gourdet, Aubadie-Ladrix explained the brand’s trajectory to today, where the bags sat center stage in the Lilly-themed gazebo designed by the store’s visionary French architect, Laura Gonzales.

“Camille Fournet, a man, was a craftsman who founded the brand in 1945 by making exotic skin and leather watch straps and small leather goods. In 1994, the brand was purchased from Fournet by husband-and-wife Jean-Luc and Françoise Déchery, who were contemporary art collectors. They were the ones who introduced handbags to the collection,” Aubadie-Ladrix said.

Over two stints spanning roughly a decade, Aubadie-Ladrix, a trained furniture and object designer, is responsible for the highly complex artisanal constructed bag, which retails from $1,600 to $16,000. “The bags feature many layers of leather, laser-cutting, and stitching to create the French Plissé brand signature. The hardware recalls the brand’s origins in watchmaking, featuring a relief-style guilloche decorative technique.

Also on display was a creation by French artist Fabrice Hyber that reflects the Camille Fournet and Artists initiative.

“Camille Fournet partners with new artists twice a year for a collaborative project. They don’t have to use leather; they can do a sculpture, a painting, or photography, for instance,” the artistic director said. Hyber’s piece “Surprise,” on display, features a mannequin fully encased in lime-green leather, which made its debut in 2022 at the brand’s Paris flagship on 5 Rue Cambon.

The cultural exchange was on point for the store’s ambitions. “Since 1945, Camille Fournet has crafted small leather goods by hand, embodying the pinnacle of French savoir-faire. Celebrating the best of French artisans and showcasing their craft in the US is deeply part of our DNA – curating and elevating French craftsmanship to create a truly unique retail experience that honors tradition while embracing modernity,” said Prevost in a statement.

Partnering with Camille Fournet was a natural choice because of their exceptional craftsmanship, timeless elegance, and innovative approach to leather goods. Bringing Camille Fournet to the US for the first time aligns perfectly with our goal at Printemps New York to introduce exclusive French brands celebrated for their artisanal roots,” he added.

Aubadie-Ladrix agreed. “It’s great to be with a French partner in the United States because they understand the way we design and feel about our bags. They can translate it to the American customers.”