Who are you?
I am Sandrine Léonard, founder and designer of the Mabiche-Paris brand.
Tell us about your career path?
I was first trained in industrial design at the Arts Décoratifs, which I think gave my creative approach a notion of use, particularly how bags are used.
I then had the chance to be selected for the Hyères Fashion and Photography Festival and was a finalist, which really got me started; I had no plan at all. But on that occasion, I met the organizers of a trade fair and, from there, my agent in Japan.
For about ten years, I had a first brand named Sandrine Léonard. I sold a lot abroad, in Japan and the United States. I lived in Paris at that time. Then, I lived in Toulouse, then in Marseille. At that point, I decided to stop my first brand.
I then worked as a freelance designer for other brands, a graphic designer, a photo stylist. I did a lot of very different things; I like versatility and multidisciplinarity.
I relaunched a leather goods brand a few years ago, thanks to my daughters who, having unearthed a prototype in my archives, all wanted it, but I only had one. And so, I got back into the swing of things: sourcing, manufacturing...
Why did you name your brand “Mabiche-Paris”?
I had a first brand with my name, and for this new adventure, I didn't want to use my name again. I wanted something French, with a familiar and affectionate connotation.
People generally call their friends "ma biche" (my deer), and there was also a small reference to Louis de Funès who always calls his wife "ma biche" in his films.
If you had to choose one piece from your collection, which one and why?
I've made many models, but I have a particular fondness for the Portofino model.
It's a very simple model. It’s a bit like the idea of a bundle, transforming a scarf into a bag. It also refers to what the Japanese do with pieces of fabric that they use as packaging, a bag, and gift wrap, called furoshiki.
It’s really the very simple idea of finding an immediate use. Here, it's a leather handle, but it could be something else.
What are your upcoming projects for Mabiche-Paris?
For Mabiche-Paris, I'm also returning to my first loves. That is, in my first brand, I had developed nylon models, already very colorful, washable, for everyday use.
I no longer wanted to use materials derived from the petrochemical industry. And I looked for a material that could match my ethics, which are now more eco-responsible. And I just found it, so new models are coming soon. It's a material made from recycled plastic bottles or discarded fishing nets.
This line is in the vein of my first models, meaning as simple as possible for everyday use. Washable, recyclable, waterproof, and very colorful.
I am also developing a range of bags and accessories from my scarf collection, following the style of the Portofino.
A mantra that guides you?
Fall nine times, get up ten.
A place that inspires you?
It depends, maybe it's my Libra side, but I can be very inspired by the hustle and bustle of a city like Paris, which I adore above all else, as well as by the Mediterranean lifestyle, the seaside.
I am very inspired by architectural places, so indeed by the Cité Radieuse in Marseille, and by Paris in its diversity.
Find the Mabiche Paris brand on their e-shop https://www.mabiche-paris.com/