Photographed by Gilles Bensimon | Styled by Kate Davidson Hudson | Written by Roxanne Robinson
The GENUINE ARTICLE
AN INFLUENCER’S AUTHENTICITY RE-ENGINEERS THE CONCEPT OF BRANDING AS SHE BUILDS HER OWN DESIGN FRANCHISE.
Picturing quintessential French-girl style is a cinch when scrolling through Chloé Harrouche’s LouLou de Saison feed. A Parisian through and through, Harrouche embodies the enviable sense of style coveted the world over. “I used to take my coffee at Café Flore before work,” she explains to LVR, on-set in Paris for a sitting. “It’s cliché but true.”
The content creator, businesswoman, designer and mom keeps a tight client list: Chanel and Loewe. “I am not a kid anymore, so I choose brands I want to work with. I love the old-school integrity of these brands,” she says. “I don’t like an influencer to promote a brand if it’s not genuine and authentic.”
I was looking for some basic pieces that I couldn’t find. We have so many lives as women, and we need things that work for all of our roles.
She brings that same authenticity to her two-and-a-half-year-old clothing brand, Lou Lou Studio. “I was looking for some basic pieces that I couldn’t find. We have so many lives as women, and we need things that work for all of our roles,” she says. She had a pinch-me moment when she saw a chic older woman wearing one of her cashmere sweatsuits on a plane and deduced she wasn’t a follower. It meant she was reaching customers beyond her 219,000+ Instagram audience.
Her training as a stylist and press officer fueled careers as both content creator and fashion entrepreneur. “I noticed a lot of Italians and Americans rising in the social media scene, and because people were always asking me where I got something I was wearing, I thought, ‘Hey, it’s Paris, and we are fashion,’” Harrouche observes of her social media impetus. Once she earned a paycheck, she considered it a job. However, she cautions not to focus on that. “You won’t succeed by being another person, so don’t just think about the money,” she advises. “Money may get you somewhere fast, but it won’t last if you’re faking it.”
The MULTI-HYPHENATE
ERIN OFF DUTY’S CREATOR BUILT A DYNAMIC BUSINESS BASED ON A PANOPLY OF ECLECTIC EXPERIENCES.
Despite the various endeavors Géraldine Boublil pursued prior to launching her directional and impeccably art-directed Erin Off Duty blog and Instagram feed, each early career move seemed to contribute to her current success. Boublil grew up in the Parisian suburbs and went to high school right next door to Le Corbusier’s famous Villa Savoye. She lived in London and New York before settling in Paris, and picked up invaluable skills every step of the way.
I used to wear crazy looks for street style, but I didn’t feel very confident. And followers can feel it if you are not authentic.
Boublil completed internships in marketing and PR at luxury brands Dior, Givenchy and Celine. She modeled for a quick minute In New York, but found the gig boring and negative. “Imagine being told your arms are too short!” She worked in the showroom of East Village punk brand Trash & Vaudeville, learning the finer points of the wholesale business. This led to becoming a House of Harlow distributor for Europe and selling via key trade shows.
Her first entrepreneurial venture sprang from this time: she launched a shoe line called Erin Adamson, a gratifying yet lonely experience. “I did everything alone—production, design, sourcing, sales and social media—with no investment.” She started the blog in 2014, and it proved to be more fruitful, and rewarding, than the shoe line. Her big break in content creation came when Prada invited her to attend an influencer press trip on the Amalfi Coast.
Lately, Boublil has added another entrepreneurial pursuit to her oeuvre: interior design. “I moved to a new apartment two years ago, and when I posted my apartment and the decorating process, I discovered I had a knack for [interior design],” she explains. Her feverishly followed eye for fashion notably aligns with her taste in interiors. Her latest venture, Things From, is a home product concept she launched with a friend who manages an atelier and sourcing in Buenos Aires. The concept refers to codes from fashion and Boublil’s own enviable style, manifesting both through home décor and furniture. The first item to launch is a chicly minimalistic black leather and lacquer stool.
Before adding this or anything else to your closet or home, however, Boublil recommends taking stock. She purged her closets during the pandemic and hasn’t looked back. “I used to wear crazy looks for street style, but I didn’t feel very confident. And followers can feel it if you are not authentic.”
The SHAPE SHIFTER
DIDI STONE REINFORCES POSITIVE ATTITUDES ABOUT BODY IMAGE IN HER INFLUENTIAL CONTENT.
Being the daughter of Koffi Olomidé, recently named Best African Artist of the Decade, had zero to do with the social media success of Didi Stone. But it does make for a fun fact when getting to know this dynamic 21-year-old. (Stone is a moniker chosen because of Koffi’s affinity toward Sharon Stone.) More than a statuesque beauty, the French-Congolese content creator uses her platform to support the efforts around cultivating body-positive images across social and traditional media landscapes.
Stone grew up between the very different worlds of Neuilly-sur-Seine, a posh Parisian suburb, and the DRC, aka Congo. “My dad wanted me to sing, but it’s not my thing,” she explains to LVR after being photographed for this piece. She’s more than comfortable being in front of the camera, having been scouted in the metro station Châtelet–Les Halles at age 15. “At first, I didn’t think it was serious, but he took some photos and told me ‘an agency wants to work with you’. Then I thought, ‘OMG, it’s really happening.’”
Modeling was stressing me out to lose weight at 17, and I was skinnier than ever, but I looked in the mirror and thought I was fat.
On the social media front, her posts already depicted a love of fashion and a penchant for mixing up her hairstyles. Her feed caught the eye of American Vogue, and then Stone’s followers spiked after an article on vogue.com. While currently at 1M, when they hit 200K, brands sought her It-Girl appeal and started seeking her out for collaborations.
The modeling was going well with high-profile shoots for Harper’s Bazaar, Elle and more Vogue, but something didn’t quite fit. “Modeling was stressing me out to lose weight at 17, and I was skinnier than ever, but I looked in the mirror and thought I was fat.” It was especially tough with her French modeling agents, who instilled the idea that weight loss would lead to brand contracts.
The brands came regardless, and soon Stone shifted her focus solely to content creation, where she is free to express her personality. Her Instagram regularly depicts dining on fine cuisine, enjoying many of the things she was denied while modeling. Through her feed, she combats the notion of “grossophobia,” the societal attitude that condemns overweight people. “Before I would say: ‘I can’t eat that.’ It was sad.”
She appeared in the Jean Paul Gaultier La Belle fragrance campaign along with DJ and grossophobia activist Barbara Butch. Currently, Stone is a L’Oréal ambassador and attended Cannes in July for the first time, sporting a Gaultier couture gown for one outing. Up next is a big campaign with Safilo. All the while, she’s studying at EIDM design school in Paris with a plan to pursue a master’s degree at Istituto Marangoni. Her dad seems to be OK with her choices now, as brands came calling. “He realized my success when I was at the launch of Fenty, and I took a photo with Rihanna.”
Insta-glam to
RISING BRAND
AN INSTAGRAM CELEB CAPITALIZES ON HER SOCIAL STARDOM TO LAUNCH A SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING LABEL AND RESHAPE THINKING AROUND FASHION CONSUMPTION.
LVR was lucky to capture Sabina Socol for this shoot in between her two wedding ceremonies. The first was on June 11th at 11 a.m., when she and now-husband Florian Gueha tied the knot in their civil service at the Mairie du 11eme (or the 11th Arrondissement city hall). “It wasn’t planned, but now it is our lucky day,” she says, preparing for her photo session. She wore a blue toile du Jouy camisole and skirt for tradition’s sake and French flair.
As Parisian as it sounds, Socol claims that status by way of Romania but channels more French influence, having relocated when she was 18 months old. “I have a strong connection with being French, but my Romanian side is more playful, flashy and blingy,” says the 33-year-old. Sure, but did we mention she’s also a modern version of Brigitte Bardot?
This frivolity is evident in her burgeoning, sustainably minded clothing brand, Pujka Paris. (Though it sounds like an Eastern European pet moniker, it’s a made-up name for a card game that a friend invented.) “It gathers people together,” she muses. For the tightly edited first offering, she sources high-end fabrics even for synthetics. She aims to deliver a timeless look with Pujka. “I am lazy with my dressing. Often, I just want a good bodysuit, good pants, a good dress that looks feminine.”
When it came to wedding #2, which took place in Tuscany after (this) shoot—she chose that idyllic location mainly thanks to the beautiful experience she had celebrating her 30th birthday there—the single test of the dress code was that it had to be vintage. Considering her background in fashion media working at L’Officiel, Jalouse and Who What Wear, she had an editor’s nose for finding the perfect piece. She came close to a Versace dress that fell through at the last minute when she discovered a John Galliano gem at Le Mode Vintage, a shop run by Carole Bigielman known for fair prices and great finds. Considering the dress was worn only once by Naomi Campbell in the spring 1996 show, the fashion connoisseur lapped up its provenance. But even more so, the linen embroidered slip dress was right at home for the Tuscan sunset nuptials and the hours of dancing that followed.
The
Multi-Cultural
TOUCHSTONE
THE INSTAGRAM STAR LEVERAGES HER PLATFORM TO CREATE AN EMPOWERED FEMALE COMMUNITY INSPIRED BY FASHION, BEAUTY, HOME DESIGN AND WARM ADVICE.
Content creator Fajer Fahad has the best of all worlds. The Parisian-born, LA-based Kuwaiti spends time in Dubai, too. Paris is where she learned to profite de votre vie, or “enjoy your life,” where nothing ever changes—in a good way—and where one finds the most loyal people on Earth. It’s also where she learned some priceless life lessons, courtesy of Azzedine Alaïa. She worked for the Tunisian designer for four years in PR, despite being subjected to his penchant for delivering an insult and compliment at the same time. Still, Fahad seized the opportunity. “Azzedine said to me, ‘I am never going to teach you about fashion. I will teach you about life.’”
Azzedine said to me, ‘I am never going to teach you about fashion. I will teach you about life.
A desire to explore herself as a brand and discover Los Angeles had Fahad packing up in 2017 to head West. There she found a different kind of stimulating lifestyle. She quickly learned to emulate LA’s laid-back glam style. Brand partnerships followed, focusing on her favorite topics: beauty and home. “LA is the place where trends are born in beauty, and everyone wants to emulate the look here.”
Fahad’s feed offers more than artfully curated pictures; it provides comforting words and sage advice tirelessly researched online, a shift that started during the pandemic. “They could make a change in my audience’s day,” the creator tells LVR on-set in Paris. “They don’t need another selfie. They need a friend.” Considering she experienced more saves than likes—Insta-speak for a commitment to the content posted—and increased her following by 1,000 per week, she knew it was a success. “No one is going to wake up and post a shitty picture, but we need to acknowledge ups and downs, bad days, and insecurities.”
It’s hard to imagine the self-determined Middle Eastern beauty having a rough day, but as she puts it, “We are just humans who can take a good photo.” When bad days call for beauty back-up, however, Fahad has just the remedy. A yet-to-be-announced beauty project is in the works, as well as a collaboration with sunglasses brand Roberi & Fraud—just in case one needs to hide behind a big pair of shades, LA-style.
THE VOICE
in Your Head
A JOURNALIST TURNS A WEALTH OF EDUCATION, DARING AND CHARM INTO A SOPHISTICATED, MUST-LISTEN PODCAST.
Monica de la Villardière née Ainley is one of the few content creators who has a formal journalism background. She was savvy and had enough foresight to dive into her Instagram personality to boost her insightful yet charming podcast, Fashion No Filter, which she founded with fellow journalist Camille Charriere. “I’m obsessed with the intimacy of radio, your voice coming into peoples’ kitchens,” she tells LVR enthusiastically. “I realized this was the general direction the industry was going and I tried not to miss that boat to promote the podcast.”
I met some of the smartest and coolest people early in my career and realized I did not have to be the next Christiane Amanpour to make a career out of journalism.
The funny, self-deprecating 33-year-old Toronto native began her professional journey in the U.K. studying English Lit and French at the University of Edinburgh. That lucky combo led to a coveted spot via the former Erasmus exchange program to study at the Sorbonne. She topped off the impressive schooling with a master’s degree in international journalism from City, University of London.
An internship at British Vogue, an editorial assistant role at former e-comm site Avenue 32, a social media manager role with Joseph during the Louise Trotter era, plus moonlighting at the former Style.com and T Magazine proved de la Villardière had the instinctive hustle to launch full-time into the world of influence. “I met some of the smartest and coolest people early in my career and realized I did not have to be the next Christiane Amanpour to make a career out of journalism.”
This background shines through in her feed as the editorial insight and cultural sophistication come through without airs or the pretense of being too highbrow. de la Villardière successfully navigates the fine line between influence and serious journalism, offering advice, “There’s no need to categorize yourself. Hone your skills, showcase them on your digital platform and be brave, because there’s no perfect formula.” Followers will notice she and her French husband, Marc de la Villardière—whom she met during her Sorbonne studies—are busy with new baby Mia. But de la Villardière demonstrates that with chutzpah, anything is possible.
THE MODERN
Bohemian
A CONTENT CREATOR CONJURES REVELATORY WORK INFORMED BY THE ART AND CULTURE OF CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE.
Moving to Paris from the Polish countryside as a child was a pivotal event that became the impetus for Marta Cygan’s Life of Boheme blog-turned-Insta-profile. “Moving to Paris from the country, learning a new language—I was so impressed and already making outfits at six years old,” she tells LVR. The move would instill in Cygan a lifelong wanderlust, propelling her to instinctively explore new cities and cultures.
At 18, she moved to London to explore and absorb the fashion and cultural scene for a few years, but eventually returned to Paris to study foreign language at the Sorbonne while working small jobs and starting a blog. She worked at Isabel Marant and toured with the rock band M83, cementing her now well-followed cool, artsy aesthetic. Inevitably, the allure of Tinseltown beckoned, and she journeyed to Los Angeles.
“When I moved to LA, I put 100 percent into my blog. Everyone who goes to LA is there to make it, but the lifestyle doesn’t make it feel like work,” she says, also noting the natural beauty that surrounds Los Angeles appealed to her country-girl roots.
I love to share what I follow: art, architecture and nature. But the way I expose is artistic.
Her style, ever quirky and eclectic, takes cues from her city of the moment. “I am chill, style-wise,” she offers, “but I got crazier in Los Angeles because people don’t care, whereas Paris is chicer.” Being invited on an influencer’s trip to a rewardStyle event in Dallas crystallized her success.
Cygan’s focus doesn’t stop at fashion, though, as she equally conveys art in her feed. “I love to share what I follow: art, architecture and nature. But the way I expose is artistic,” she explains, adding the job draws invitations to such happenings as Art Basel and Frieze LA. “Everywhere I go, I explore galleries and local artists, as this is as fascinating as fashion.” This point of view is also evident in her fashion choices. Another signature is creating art with her own body on her Instagram pages.
As easy as she makes it look and as proud as she is to be working in a female-led field, Cygan points out that it’s still work. “It looks like beautiful clothes and gifts, but it’s creating content daily,” she admits. “Even on holiday, my friends go to a restaurant, but I stay behind to work.”
