CHARLOTTE SOMETIME

The Charlotte Sometime adventure starts in 2008 when designer Charlotte Rivière who had been a teacher at a fashion school for several years, decides to start her own brand. Seasons, collaborations and awards follow one another: first prize of the Grand Prix du Printemps Nation in 2010, designer of the year at Who’s Next 2011… Charlotte has a craft-oriented vision of fashion, at odds with fast fashion, quickly bought, quickly forgotten. She is extremely meticulous about the whole manufacturing process for her creations and has all her pieces made with the utmost care, with scrupulous attention given to the quality of materials and finishes.

5 questions to the designer

Who are you?
My name is Charlotte, I am in my thirties, and I am passionate about beautiful fabrics, music and Iceland. I started my brand, Charlotte Sometime, eight years ago.

Give us 3 words that describe your universe.
Timeless,qualitative & sentimental

Where do you get your inspiration?
Mainly in nature and music. I am fascinated by nocturnal animals, marshes, starry skies, misty water, bats dancing at nightfall… All my collections are linked to theses themes. I also travel as much as I can, to countries where nature is everywhere (Iceland, Nepal, Norway etc.). Music is also vital. I always work surrounded with music that I choose myself. When I am working on a collection, I have 3 to 5 albums that rotate in my player. The rest of the time, I listen to new bands, I keep abreast of music news, and I go to concerts a lot.

Where do you make your products?
All my pieces are manufactured in France, except for knitwear, made in Romania. A part of the collection is made in my showroom, namely some hand and machine knitting; the rest is made in Paris, Tours and Lyon.

“Made in France”: why that choice? 
I have been working with the same makers since 2008. When you start, proximity is key, so originally, manufacturing my collections in France was basically the easiest and most sensible choice. I thought it would be crazy for a young brand to start manufacturing at the other end of the world. Later, when demand increased, I could have relocated my production abroad, but I reject that option: pollution, shipping costs, difficulty to keep track… My makers are actual partners, not just suppliers. Without them, the brand would not exist, so it’s a relationship based on mutual trust, which we have established since the very start, and I know I can depend on them.