Louis Collection

The birth of Paris as one of the great fashion centers of the world, began in 1643 when King Louis XIV took the French throne. At the start of his 72-year reign, France had no fashion industry. It imported silks from Milan and clothes from Madrid, then the fashion capitals of the world. To create work for his subjects and cut the need to import foreign goods, Louis established French textile and clothing industries and guilds of fine artisans. These soon employed a third of all French workers. He then enacted laws forbidding the import of foreign fabrics and clothing. Unlike the somber black Spanish fashions, Louis’ craftsmen created colorful and intricate garments. A shrewd businessman, Louis understood the power of the press to shape ideas and perceptions. (He would have loved social media!) To spread the word about these exciting new designs and fabrics, he employed engravers and artists to produce French fashion images which he sent around the world. Soon, women in other countries were clamoring for Parisian styles. Louis also introduced the idea of seasonal fashion changes which made it socially unacceptable to wear summer clothing after November 1st, or winterwear after Easter. That also increased orders for his workmen. By producing high-quality materials and inventive designs, France soon became the fashion leader of the Western world. And, from that day to this, despite great revolutions and inept rulers, Paris remains synonymous with high fashion.

The bluer part of the Louis Collection begins with Louis Lawn. We have two of these gorgous digital cotton lawn prints in our catalog, and many, many more in our retail store. Sew a top from the lawn now and wear it through the early autumn. We have matched up Louis Stone stretch cotton poplin for you to tailor into slacks and a jacket to keep as wardrobe staples.

You can also wear your stone slacks with a knit top sewn from Louis Ocean, the second of our subtle tie-dye rib knits. Then whip up a pullover or zip-front hoodie from Louis Navy. This fleece-backed sweatshirt knit is part of the Richmond Collection in our retail store and comes in red, royal, white, black, and dark grey in addition to the navy.

VF232-13 Louis Ocean

Pale to Dark Navy Super Soft

Tie-Dye Rib Knit

93% Polyester, 7%Spandex. 61” wide. Cold wash, dry low. 70% crosswise stretch. 30% lengthwise stretch.

$699

VF232-14 Louis Navy Dark Blue Poly-Cotton

Sweatshirt Fleece

80% Polyester, 20% Cotton. 58” wide. Cold wash, dry low. 60% crosswise stretch. 20% lengthwise stretch.

$999

Wear your Louis Navy sweatshirt over a top made from Louis Petals, an extra wide cotton/rayon blend. The petals are pale navy and icy wisteria, accented with lime on an off-white allway stretch jersey knit.

Blue Stylized Floral Print on Cotton-Rayon Jersey Knit

60% Cotton, 40% Rayon. 67” wide. Cold wash, dry low. All over design.

40% crosswise stretch.

20% lengthwise stretch.

$999

Large Brown and Grey Flowers on a French Vanilla Cotton Lawn

100% Cotton. 57” wide. Cold wash, dry low. 25” one way design - use nap layout.

$749yd Through May 12, 2023

$1099yd Starting May 13, 2023

Ruddy-brown Medium-weight Cotton Jersey Knit

95% Cotton, 5% Spandex.

62” wide. Cold wash, dry low. 80% crosswise stretch. 60% lengthwise stretch.

$999

One of the most popular fabrics from our Early Spring issue was the cotton lawn with large purple poppies. We now present you with two 57” cotton lawns sporting more dramatic flowers from the same manufacturer, VF232-16 & VF232-22. sew these into oversized, billowing button-down shirts to wear over a tank top and shorts, as well as into shells, tunics, and poolside cover-ups.

Our first large floral cotton lawn print, Catacombs Première, features brown, brick, and grey flowers on a French vanilla base. Wear this as a cool tunic over a Catacombs Brique bandeau and leggings to round out the ensemble. This heavyweight cotton jersey is wide, opaque, and has great all-way stretch, making it an ideal choice for yoga pants, cardigans, plus structured knit tops and dresses.

Print

100% Rayon. 54” wide. Cold wash, dry low.

2.25” design repeat.

$759

Catacombs Collection

Hidden under the streets of Paris lie 200 miles of tunnels. These Catacombs, dating back to Roman times, were originally limestone quarries providing stones for Parisian architecture. Over the centuries, the underground mines were abandoned and forgotten. Then, in 1774, a series of basement walls collapsed from the weight of the mass grave behind it. Paris’ citizenry and leaders, already nervous that overcrowded and poorly maintained cemeteries were breeding grounds for diseases, searched for alternative burial places. Enter Police Chief Alexandre Lenoir, in charge of both mine inspections and cemetery closures. At his direction, under dark of night, wagons carted remains from Paris’ cemeteries to a section of renovated subterranean passageways, transforming the abandoned mines into a monumental sepulcher. It took two years to empty millions of remains from Parisian cemeteries into the Catacombs. At first, the Catacombs were a disorganized jumble of bones. But an 1810 Director of Mine Inspections transformed the caverns into a well-organized, even artistic, pattern of skulls and femurs, dappled with decorations he took from cemetery storage rooms. He essentially created a french version of the famous Roman catacombs which were also a solution to relocating old bones in the wake of overcrowding. To this day, you’ll find European churches decorated with artfully arranged skulls and skeletons. The Paris Catacombs house the bones of an estimated 6 million people spanning 600 years of Parisian death. The next time you visit Paris make sure to take the very popular one-mile walking tour of the Catacombs to view the intricate patterns of bony walls, columns, and sculptures.

VF232-19 Catacombs Sand

Pale Golden 5oz Linen

100% Linen. 59” wide. Dry clean to retain crispness, or cold wash and line dry for a more casual look.

$1499yd Through May 12, 2023

$1699yd Starting May 13, 2023

VF232-20 Catacombs Paisley

Colorful Print on a Cream

All-way Stretch Rib Knit

93% Polyester, 7% Spandex. 58” wide. 7.125” one way designuse nap layout. Cold wash. 50% crosswise stretch.

30% lengthwise stretch.

$699

Not feeling floral today? No problem. Catacombs Tribal sports a geometric design in neutral colors on a mediumweight rayon challis. Treat yourself to a sarong, sundress, updated caftan, or a tunic.

As a transitional wardrobe piece, whip up a quick knit top from Catacombs Paisley. We are listing this as a 57” wide fabric, even though it is technically 60” because the printing towards the selvages goes a bit awry. You will love the feel of this soft rib knit print as a top you can wear with the Brique or with Catacombs Sand, a 5 ounce European Linen. To retain the crispness, dry clean. But if you prefer a more casual vibe, toss it in the wash and it will soften the feel as well as tighten the weave while it shrinks down a bit, making it ideal for comfy beachcomber pants.

Mustard Gold Classic Ponte di Roma All-way Stretch Knit

69% Rayon, 27% Nylon, 4% Spandex. 60” wide. Cold wash, dry low. 50% crosswise stretch.

30% lengthwise stretch.

$1199yd Through May 12, 2023

$1499yd Starting May 13, 2023

Large Dijon and Wine Flowers on a White Cotton Lawn

100% Cotton. 57” wide. Cold wash, dry low. 25” one way design - use nap layout.

$749yd Through May 12, 2023

$1099yd Starting May 13, 2023

Catacombs Deuxìeme features dijon and caramel flowers on a white background. We ordered the remaining yardage the supplier had of the mustard color Classic Ponte di Roma to be your perfect bottom-weight option in Catacombs Dijon.

Be bold. Hausmann Bold, that is. This digital print looks sharp, and the softness of the double brushed ITY fabric is delicious to wear. Make a statement dress that will knock people’s socks off, or confine the delight to a simple shell worn with an overblouse and skirt crafted from our next fabric.

VF232-23 Haussmann Bold

Vivid Persimmon Color Digital

Floral Double-brushed ITY Knit

96% Polyester, 4% Spandex.

60” wide. Cold wash, dry low.

Large, all-over print.

60% crosswise stretch.

30% lengthwise stretch.

$999