History
A
headstrong dreamer, from the age of six, Lolita Lempicka designed dresses and made clothes for her dolls inspired by stories of fairies and princesses. At 12 she was wearing her own creations; at 17 this girl with a precocious talent for fashion started her formal training at Studio Bercot; and at 19 she left that school in order, so she said, to set up her own couture house.
In 1984, with her husband, she sets up her own label. Their apartment was the location in which this fairytale about a seamstress daughter started. She created 15 looks, produced a small show, and within that same year opened her first boutique. In 1987 the label really broke through. Women fell in love with her clothes, which were at once modern and feminine, always original and adapted to the lives that real women lead. Duly, the press names her "the tailoring queen". Sales skyrocket, she expands her ranges and the business starts to develop rapidly. In 1990, this new couture house moves into the beautiful neo-baroque mansion at 78 avenue Marceau in Paris eighth arrondissement, an area itself synonymous with fashion. Lolita Lempicka Couture comes followed up by two more lines: Lolita Bis, aimed at the youth market between the ages 15-25, and the wedding dress collection, Les MariĂŠes de Lolita. At the same time the brand was becoming firmly established in Japan and, thanks to a major license, bringing the total number of Lolita Lempicka points of sale in that country to 120. The countries of the Middle East, as well as those of Eastern Europe, also quickly adopted the brand, thus giving it almost immediate success and wide recognition.
I
n 1997, after two years in the making, Lolita Lempicka launched her first scent for women. Bursting with memories, femininity and sensuality, it perfectly exemplifies the Lolita Lempicka spirit. As a result of the brand recognition and image enjoyed by the house, "Le Premier Parfum de Lolita Lempicka" proved to be the most successful perfume launch in 10 years. Distributed in more than 7000 outlets in 80 countries worldwide, and ranked among the top four best-selling perfumes in France, it alone came to make up 3% of the total female fragrance sales in the French market. In 1999, it took the prize for Best Perfume at the FIFI Awards in New York. In March 2000 Lolita Lempicka launched its first mens scent which received a very positive reception from both press and male customers alike. The mother of three girls, Lolita’s eldest daughter Elisa has joined her mother working at the heart of the family couture house. "It’s wonderful working with my daughter. She’s enormously talented, she’s like another version of me, and we understand each other totally", the designer admits. In July 2003 Lolita Lempicka joins an elite rank in receiving the Legion of Honor for her part in promoting the image of France around the world. Today Lolita Lempicka is on of the last independent couture houses in France. On the eve of its 20th anniversary the house can be immensely proud of its success, of its international recognition, and of the universe that its founder has created.
Spirit
POETRY
Lolita Lempicka is like a fairy tale in which the woman is a contemporary princess. The continued use of ivy, fruits, flowers, butterflies, ladybugs, birds and other animal motifs gives the impression of belonging to an enchanted world. Each of this symbols of floral and fauna enrich the label’s universe, giving it a timeless and magical quality.
FEMININITY
Sexy, sensual and romantic, the Lolita Lempicka woman in also free-spirited, fun... Lolita. Secret and mysterious, her femininity his here to play with. The field of seduction is her kingdom.The Lolita Lempicka universe is full of emotions, sensuality, nostalgia, and revisited memories, but always with a focus on the life of the modern woman.
CHARACTER
Though whimsical, this is not a half-hearted brand. Fragile and romantic, subtle and refined, the Lempicka woman also shows her spirited, passionate side. She dares, she affirms herself, she provokes. Her rebellious side gives out something strong and mysterious : a real personality. Sometimes she’s a femme fatale. The light universe of Lolita Lempicka sometimes reveals it’s darker side, adding depth and mystery to the designer’s creations.
ALLURE
Whether sophisticated, sensual or provocative, the effect is always one of elegance. Fused together, the style and charisma create the allure of Lolita Lempicka, a different kind of beauty that always means something. This mix makes Lolita Lempicka an original brand that fuels the dreams of women today and tomorrow.
Lolita’s Universe
The name Lolita Lempicka represents the contradiction and complexity of the modern woman. The juxtaposition of the innocent Lolita ingenue and the fierce beauty of the Lempicka woman are like fire and ice. The resulting effect is powerfully intoxicating. The typography of the logo, the wedding dresses, the advertising images, and the perfume bottle all form part of the label’s romantic vision. The Lempicka universe is also about the fashion shows, the sophisticated collections, the often avant-garde creations that enable this romantic notion to occupy a space at the forefront of fashion. Lolita Lempicka is one of those rare luxury labels to have created such a recognizable spirit, a sort of neo-romanticism which women adore.
Style
The rigorous attention to detail and the constant quest for femininity are the starting points of Lolita Lempicka’s collections. Subtle and fresh colors that swing between soft and vintage tones are as important as the neutral and pastel shades that contrast with the bright, strong, fruity shades in reds, mauves, turquoise, and a spectrum of pinks running from sugary to shocking. The choice of delicate, fluid, quality fabrics, the importance of comfort, the mastery of cut, embellished lace, embroideries, and a prefect finish form the basis of the Lolita Lempicka style.
Daywear is about fluid skirts, exquisite tops in old lace or with quirky embroidery, sophisticated suits, lingerie-light little dresses... At Lemicka, the day is also about original prints produced in-house that are always faithful to the spirit of the label. In the evening dresses become pure glamour, maybe in the style of a femme fatale or an actress driving the photographers wild at Cannes. The lines are sensual, tinted with the charm of the Thirties or the fantasy of the Seventies. The night comes illustrated in bias cut, draping, with a proud dĂŠcolletĂŠ and airy transparencies in lace, chiffon and tulle, as well as any number of precious finishings.
Studio It’s in the neo-baroque splendor of the couture house’s headquarters that the nerve center of the label is located. Here in the Lolita Lempicka design studio are created the four collections, numbering over 400 models, that the house creates every year.
Research work is carried out by the creative staff before the inception of each collection. This work is absolutely necessary to ensure that the resulting collections are as unique and luxurious as possible. Each piece is constructed in basic fabric on a tailor’s mannequin before getting final approval and being produced in the intended fabric. The designer herself is involved in every single step in the process of creation. From the initial themes to the final collection nothing escapes her attention. This attention and participation has always been the label’s badge of excellence. In tandem with the creative process the collections’ manufacturers do their utmost to produce the clothes to the exacting standards imposed by Lolita.
Fashion Shows
Backstage
Lempicka Around the World Lolita Lempicka’s fame is greatly assisted by the positive press reportage of her shows. The biggest models as well as a number of stars have modeled for the label, all proving a determining factor in placing the label in the collective conscience.
Distributed in the US and Canada in several selected stores, the brand has come to wider public attention since the launch of the perfume. Chosen as best perfume of the year at the FIFI Awards in 1999, today the fragrance is the greatest ambassador for the label in North America.
Many beauties took the first steps in their careers on the designer’s runway, including: Laetitia Casta, Gisele Bundchen, Angie Everhart, Tyra banks, Rachel Robert, Ophelie Winter, etc.
In the Middle East the label has always enjoyed a large following. Two self-owned stores were opened there in the 90s : the first in Abu Dhabi, the second in Riyad. Lolita is friendly with many international personalities in the arts who contribute to the raising of the house’s worldwide reputation : Uma Thurman, Nicole Kidman, Mira Sorvino, Kelly Preston, Juliette Binoche, Chiara Mastroianni, Isabelle Huppert, Emmanuelle Béart, etc. In Japan the label has been developed via a major license which brought the number of Lempicka’s Japanese boutiques up to 120.
In Russia and in Eastern Europe Lolita Lempicka is enjoying increasing growth. Described by the Russian press as the alter ego of the big French houses, the designer’s star keeps burning brighter in the countries of the east.
Positioning
Positioned in the luxury sector, the couture lines provide Lolita Lempicka with a prestigious image. The label is directed towards young and active women in the 20-35 years age bracket who want to wear clothes that are original and sexy yet refined. Naturally the target range is enlarged by those women aged from 35-50 who identify with the brand.
Lolita Bis, for young women aged 15-25, relies on simpler, more accessible clothes, thus positioning itself in the wider ready-to-wear market.
Communication The communication of the image of the couture house and its collections are ensured through the press and it’s opinion leaders. The perfumes principally, as well as other licenses, maintain the media image via ad placement in fashion magazines. 2004’s big up-coming events: - the 20th anniversary of the couture house - the launch of the second Lolita Lempicka perfume.
Distribution
Apart from the Paris boutique on avenue Victor Hugo in the 16th arrondissement and the label’s historic showroom on avenue Marceau in the 8th arrondissement, the other self-owned Lolita Lempicka boutiques are to be found in Saint Tropez, Cannes, Abu Dhabi and Riyad. The brand is also sold in around 30 other countries either in boutiques or department stores.
Perfume The "Premier Parfum de Lolita Lempicka", a women’s scent launched in the spring of 1997, has become a global success.
to international success. The perfume has been expanded to a body-care line: eau de toilette, eau légère, shower gel, refreshing spray, etc.
A loving heart, troubled and romantic, it works in perfect harmony with the label’s fashion. With a dominant liquorice note it’s the scent of childlike love.
March 2000 saw the l a u n c h o f L o l i t a Lempicka men’s scent, an expression of another facet of masculinity. With strength and emotion, it opens the door to the romantic side of masculinity. Very well received by the press, this scent is following stepfor-step the same growth pattern as that of the women’s scent.
The bottle in itself, in the shape of a mauve apple smothered in gold ivy leaves, is an object of desire. The advert, a perfect representation of the Lolita Lempicka universe, features a woman in a flower-strewn lace dress entwined in a ivy-clad tree who delicately hides her breast as she’s caught up in the ecstasy of the perfume’s heady scent. Moving between third and fourth place among the best-selling perfumes in France, it represents 3% of market sales. Distributed in more than 7000 points of sale in 80 countries it has followed a lightning path
Licenses The Lolita Lempicka universe is very rich, the values of the brand lending themselves particularly well to many creative uses in numerous fields.
Perfume, jewelry, costume jewelry, sunglasses, shoes, leather goods, scarves, gloves, hosiery, socks, ties, umbrellas, but also the numerous clothing lines under license that the studio has worked on over the space of 20 years.
Today the house has attached particular priority to pursuing the development of its network of licensees, assuring the strength of its collaboration with its current partners. Lolita Lempicka continues to ensure that understandings are maintained with its licensees in terms of the quality, production and distribution of its products around the globe.
Lolita Lempicka 78, avenue Marceau 75 008 Paris Tél : +33.1.40.70.96.96 Fax : +33.1.40.70.02.15 www.lolitalempicka.com C .E.O. jmlempicka@lolitalempicka.com LICENSES :
Olivier van Temsche Direct : +33.6.78.64.05.35 E-mail : licenses@lolitalempicka.com PRESS :
Béatrice Manson 19, rue Le Peletier 75 009 Paris Tél : +33.1.44.83.97.38 Fax : +33.1.53.34.06.38 E-mail : beatrice.manson@noos.fr OTHER CONTACTS :
info@lolitalempicka.com sales@lolitalempicka.com press@lolitalempicka.com