Photograph Courtesy of Axelle
We met up with Axelle from “Ma bonne Amie” whose company specialize in renting couture and wedding gown such as YSl, Chanel, Dior as well as gorgeous wedding dresses such as Carolina Herrera & Vera Wang amongst other luxury wedding couture brand in central Paris. Every bride fantasizes of wearing their dream dress on their wedding day. It’s something that you will remember forever and can always look back on with fond memories …..
Enjoy the interview, Ma Bonne Amie is the perfect store to find your dream couture or wedding dress for a very special occasion.
Q. What is your background and how did you get into the dress rental business?
I was working in the communication industry in big companies but over 10 years, I wanted to start my own business in fashion because I have a natural eye for it and a good fashion taste. I realized that if you have an important event to attend and you want to dress up, you don’t have many options other than to buy a very expensive designer dress, which is something I did myself when going to my friend’s weddings, so I thought that maybe the dresses which I bought could be used by others. I began looking into the market and realized that this concept didn’t exist in Paris so I decided to create “Ma bonne Amie”. I started the dress rental business in 2009, it was a very new concept in France at the time so lots of people were very interested and we got very good reviews from the media. We got a lot of TV press and so on which was really nice because the subject was so new and interesting for them. The concept worked well so after 2-3 years I decided to expand a little bit and to do more consulting and coaching, which entails helping women and also working with professionals in the workplace and companies because it’s something I know very well from my own working experience. I work with firms and agencies by helping them if they have any special events.
Q. How did you decide to expand to Bridal dresses?
I’ve always had many customers asking me if I had any bridal gowns to rent but last year in particular, I had lots of new potential clients and agencies looking for the same thing and I realized that this concept did not exist in Paris, you could not rent an evening gown or wedding dress. Other than buying a dress, there was no other solution, it’s an amazing concept; especially if you only need a dress just for one day or a photo-shoot, so I decided to buy a collection of couture wedding dresses, mainly from American designers and we launched this service for clients who are looking at renting a wedding gown designer dress for one day in Paris.
Q. How does the process work; from choosing a dress to wearing it on the day?
First of all people find “ma bonne amie” through different ways, such as the internet of course, word of mouth and from the media, then they will go on our website, from the website you make an appointment with our stylist. Clients will come to the showroom near the Palais Royal, which will be privatized and you will have your own, personal style consultant who will help you to choose the perfect outfit for your event, whether it be for a wedding, opera, a party, an event nearby or Cannes film festival per say.
It also depends on your body-shape and the way how the dress fits you so we will help the lady to choose the perfect dress, we can also do some alterations. Then you will have to sign a contract and you will be able to pick up the dress the day before the event and return it 2 days afterwards, or there is also a delivery system available. The dry cleaning is included in our service so you don’t have to worry about that at all.
Q. How many dresses do you have at the moment?
We have more than 250 models of long, evening gowns and cocktail dresses. We also have clutches, jewelry, furs and accessories. They’re mostly French or Italian high couture. The wedding gowns are from very renowned wedding designers. Most of them are American. We have dresses by very famous, well-known designers because clients will know their brand. The idea is not to be original, the idea is to be luxurious.
Q. Do you have any advice to future brides when choosing their dress?
It depends on the event and how long they’ll be in the dress. I’ll never rent a dress for a full wedding event, only for the photo-shoot. I believe that when you get married you must have the perfect dress for your own body for example, if you’re short you shouldn’t choose something with much volume as it will make you look shorter, but if you’re only choosing the dress for a photo-shoot, you should choose the dress of your dreams because the photographer is the magician and he can do whatever you want and make you look how you want, so if you’re short he will make you look taller and so on, that way you can have the dress of your dreams because it’s just for the memories and you will always have the magic of the pictures.
Q. Do you have any memorable stories from the job?
Well, of course we rent dresses to ‘normal’ people because famous people are often given high couture dresses for free from the designers themselves, it is free advertising really, but at “Ma bonne Amie”we pamper and style you the same way you would be at Chanel for Cannes film festival. We make people feel like celebrities, we give them luxury treatment and provide them with a luxury dress to wear and overall high quality, Parisian experience. We’re situated in the Palais Royal area, right next to the Louvre in an exclusive luxury area which is important for clients who don’t know the area. You feel very at home when you come into ma bonne amie.
What is funny is that we’ve had some well-known, famous people who have used our services such as older actresses which is funny as you wouldn’t expect it. Once a young hip and trendy young Parisian woman came in and she said she was going to an important event with one of our French icon. She wanted to dress up and wear something special for the occasion. Her boyfriend was taking her to a private party with Johnny Halliday! She left the showroom with a dress from Balenciaga and she Rocked the night away!
Paris wedding gown & couture dress rental : www.mabonneamie.com
