Each year, French Touch Events put on the Best of France exhibition. I was able to check out the exhibition this year that took place in Times Square on September 26 and 27. There were a good selection of French exports such as makeup, food and travel.  I was interested in the three fashion brands that were showcased at this year’s exhibition.

Tanya Heath Paris

Website: http://www.tanyaheath.com/

Tanya Heath is a luxury shoe brand with a unique story. Their shoes have interchangeable heels that are made for the working woman.  One can adjust the heel height depending on the height preference.  The concept is very innovative and the shoes are comfortable.  However, the price point is high for the target audience: modern working woman. On their e-shop, the shoes price ranges between 360 Euros to 700 Euros. The shoe does not have the brand cache such as Yves Saint Laurent or other comparably priced brands.  The idea is that you can buy a pair of shoes at a high price point and be able to update them with different heels and therefore have many different “looks” from one pair of shoes. The issue is that the heels are not inexpensive at approximately 50 Euros per set. Additionally, it is unclear how long the sole of the shoes would last, making the 50 euros spend that much harder to justify. I tried on the heels at the exhibition and liked them a lot.  If price is not an issue, Tanya Heath’s shoes are innovative and ideal for a woman running around town.

Haveney

Site: http://www.haveney.fr/

Haveney is a small French clothing label created by Marie-Laetitia Rossazza based in Marseille. The designer focuses on minimalism which translates to the black and white aesthetics and simple lines in her collection. There are many variations of the simple black dress in her collection that evokes the French gal. For those that are shorter and have more curves, the clothes may not work well for those body shapes. Currently, her collection can be purchased on Haveney website.

Unfortunately the clothes look better worn than hanging on the rack. You can see better pictures of the Fall/Winter 2015 collection at Vogue UK site.

Aurelia Hoang

Site: http://www.Aureliahoang.com

Aurelia Hoang is a made-to-order bridal wear designer based in Lyon, France. After fashion school at Istituto Marangoni in Milan and working with designers such as Véronique Leroy, Isabel Marant, and Kenzo, Aurelia decided to launch her own bridal wear in 2007.  She describes her style as “smooth, comfortable, simple and elegant, heavily loaded with silky materials and lace from Calais”. Her dresses remind me of an elegant bohemian girl mixed with a good dose of ethereal. The dresses also look much prettier in person as you can see the delicate beading and stitching details in each of her gowns. Aurelia currently has a showroom in Lyon and Paris. The price point for each dress is still relatively affordable so if you are in a mood for a French gamine bridal gown, check out Aurelia Hoang’s collection on her website.

Each of these designers is looking to expand into the US market and I am looking forward to see how the US respond to their aesthetics.

Disclaimer: The author and Aurelia Hoang are related.

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Author: Chau Hoang

Featured Photo: Aurelia Hoang