A French Fashion Icon and Her Enduring Vision

During Paris Fashion Week, we have the privilege of stepping inside the world of the independently owned fashion house of agnès b., a brand that has stood the test of time.

Agnès Troublé, aka agnès b., the brand’s founder and creative force, remains at the helm at 83 years old, as passionate and hands-on as ever. Endymion sat down with the designer in her Paris showroom to discuss her latest collection, her design process, and the enduring inspiration behind her work.

Agnès welcomes us with a warm smile, dressed in an all-black ensemble—leather shorts and a striking black flower hair accessory—creating a bold monochromatic statement. Sitting across from her, we can’t help but marvel at the energy she exudes and her timeless sense of style. Her friendly welcome and heartfelt laugh immediately charm us as we get to know each other and dive into a discussion about her inspirations and latest collection.

A central source of inspiration for her has always been French New Wave cinema, she begins to explain, a film movement that emerged in the late 1950s. Filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard rejected traditional filmmaking conventions, embracing experimentation and personal expression. Fashion played a defining role in these films, and the style of the ‘nouvelle vague’ left a lasting impact on the world of fashion that can still be felt today.

Notably flat hats are a recurring motif in the movies, and Agnès says she has always loved them. Later in our interview she invites us upstairs to her atelier and we step into a luminous and open workspace. The showroom in the 10th arrondissement of Paris houses not only her collections but also her personal office. We find a creative haven with a cozy couch corner to our right and her desk and work area to the left. This is also where she conducts all her fittings, she tells us — the place where the collections truly come to life.

By the window, a table is scattered with objects and craft tools. As we take a closer look, she explains that she is working on new jewelry pieces, each one unique, crafted from found objects. We inspect a brown, rock-like object on the table. “What is it?” we ask, unable to identify the mysterious cobble. She smirks and responds, “That’s a piece of coconut shell.” Her creativity knows no bounds — she draws inspiration from whatever crosses her path.

Next to her desk, an inspiration mood board fills the wall with images from classic French New Wave films, including Au Bout de Souffle (Breathless) from 1960. Among the icons on the board is Jean Seberg, the American actress who played Patricia in the film—and who, as Agnès tells us, was a dear friend of hers.

Cinema is an integral part of Agnès’ artistic career. Step inside any agnès b. boutique, and you’ll find film posters decorating the walls. She even ventured into filmmaking herself with her 2014 directorial debut, Je m’appelle Hmmm… (My Name Is Hmmm…). Clothes, after all, play a defining role in cinema, shaping character and narrative alike.

“To me, style is just the outside of content, and content the inside of style, like the outside and the inside of the human body. Both go together; they can’t be separated.”

( – Jean-Luc Godard)

“Do you have a favorite nouvelle vague movie?” we ask. “I like all of them”, Agnès replies with a smile.

Agnès is not just a designer—she is a creative polymath. Beyond fashion, she is deeply immersed in music, film, and the arts. “I love artists,” she says. Music has played a key role in her journey, and her designs have left their mark on music history. She collaborated with David Bowie for 25 years, dressing him for the stage. During our conversation, she shares an intriguing rumor: that the album cover of Blackstar, Bowie’s last album, may have been inspired by a khaki agnès b. t-shirt that Bowie frequently wore, which was adorned with a black star.

We also meet Paul, her longtime favorite model she says with a smile, who has become a close friend. He takes us to the basement, where a music studio hums with creative energy. Electric guitars hang on the walls, next to a Pulp Fiction poster. He plays guitar himself and sometimes records in the studio. Creativity, it seems, pulses through every floor of the agnès b. building.

Agnès’ latest collection is a testament to her enduring and timeless aesthetic: structured collars, tailored two-piece suits, elegant hats, and gloves — each piece imbued with nouvelle vague nostalgia. Yet, she seamlessly bridges past and present, incorporating contemporary elements such as prints of her own photography, a technique she likes to use to bring her photography into her collections. This marvelous design element is seen on a shirt featuring a water reflection print of trees, a poetic blend of past inspiration and modern creativity(see gallery below).

Thus it was a guilty pleasure for Endymion to be able to take a short look behind the scenes of the agnès b. fashion house and an honor to meet the woman behind the brand and dive deep into her creative universe. The essence of the brand lies in its effortless fusion of eras, its celebration of individuality and timeless style, and its deep-rooted connection to art in all its forms. Whether on the streets of Paris, the silver screen, or in the annals of music, her designs continue to tell stories—timeless, elegant, and all distinctly Agnès.

Photos: courtesy agnès b.

Article: Athena for Endymion