Disclaimer: For once, here is an article with a much more personal tone than usual. This will be an opportunity for me to evoke some memories, my own thoughts on the positioning of a brand and talk about the future. Just that. On other media, we would almost call it a "mood post".
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It's December 2015. As usual, twice a year, I meet up with Rémi, the creator of Éditions MR (formerly Melinda Gloss, MG for short).
We both meet in their shop and we talk about the collection . Rémi has the same obsession with the product as me, it's a pleasure to talk with someone who understands me on this point. We talk about the material of the buttons, the fluidity of a fabric, the tapering of a leg or the narrowness of the shoulders on a jacket... A joy.
Except that at 7:30 p.m., instead of going home, I am invited to Mathieu's. Mathieu and Rémi are the duo behind this brand that I have followed very closely for several years and which, as you will see, has left a lasting impression on me, even long after.
And besides, while Rémi walks extremely quickly with his huge trench coat, I dive back into some memories from the time when BonneGueule was not very tall, in fact frankly very small.
Mathieu, on the left. Rémi, on the right.
BonneGueule and Melinda Gloss: common beginnings
At that time, it was complicated to ask to see a collection as a "blogger", and brands had not yet understood the immense potential of digital content created by enthusiasts. Moreover, the "influencers" of the time were often seen as the last wheel of the carriage in the communication plans of clothing brands.
At that time, Melinda Gloss was the first brand to welcome me into their home, in their showroom, and to take the time to discuss me for more than 30 minutes.
And Mathieu and Rémi always gave me this time for discussion and words. Always. I could drop by at any time, I was always warmly received.
If Mathieu and Rémi do indeed come from a noble background, they were the first to get down to my level to talk to me, without ever looking down on me. Here too, it was rarer for a brand to establish such a strong contact - and so quickly - with the blogger that I was in 2009.
This is a little-known value of the brand and, in my opinion, one that they have difficulty in making visible: Melinda Gloss has always been a welcoming brand , encouraging exchange and meeting. Mathieu did not hesitate to welcome customers with his cognac-Schweppes which has become cult among all their fans.
This marked the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Just like when you follow a friend for several years, even if you sometimes take different paths or don't always agree , the mutual support remains there. We always meet up, with lots of adventures to tell each other.
Wild posting of advertising campaigns for the brand in 2015.
A concern for quality visible from the start
The first time I touched a 220 count poplin was at their place.
Same for knitted cashmere , Japanese chambray, mother-of-pearl buttons or even a semi-canvassed jacket.
Rémi, more discreet than Mathieu at first glance, made in each of his collections a true declaration of love for beautiful materials . Mathieu told me that he had very sensitive skin, so he was particularly vigilant about the sensations provided by the clothes.
For the time, it was almost a revolution : In France, it was one of the very first men's brands to offer a solid mid-range offering. Yes, the fabrics of their shirts sold for less than €150 could easily be found in others that cost twice as much. It was truly accessible luxury, for real! Today, we would call it "middle luxury".
And with all the hindsight I have, I must admit that it was with them that I understood what "beautiful material" meant: the way it takes the light, the hand, the texture... I learned everything from them . Melinda Gloss was decisive and immensely enriching at the beginning of my journey in Parisian men's ready-to-wear.
I'm not the only one in this case, many of my friends had their first fashion crush with a Melinda Gloss piece. Whether it was with their legendary wool and cashmere trench coat or, even rarer, the shirt with a double officer collar, nicknamed the "Zidane" in reference to a photoshoot where Zinedine wore it.
Geoffrey could tell you, with his trench coat that he wore for quite a few years.
BonneGueule having created its clothing brand in 2014, I am all the more admiring to see how two philosophy students, knowing nothing about fashion, were able to produce such mature and cutting-edge first collections in terms of cuts and materials.
For my part, it was a brand for which I had a lot of affection, but it took me a long time to properly decipher it.
And it was Rémi's quick step on the sidewalks of Quai Voltaire, in that month of December 2015, that pulled me from all these memories and reminded me that I had an appointment with Mathieu... because they had news to tell me.
Melinda Gloss changes its name to Éditions MR
This is the wink of fate: if Melinda Gloss was the first brand to welcome me into its showroom/HQ, years later, it is still the first clothing brand where one of the designers personally invites me into their apartment.
I was intrigued to see what a designer's apartment looked like, so I went in with great curiosity, and it ended up being more or less as I had imagined.
At Mathieu's, nothing flashy, but a lot of furniture that looks like it was thrifted. No Scandinavian influences, even less contemporary furniture. Everything was simple and beautiful, quite simply.
But what were they going to tell me?
So what does this booklet contain?
After a few glasses of Burgundy, Mathieu gave me a curious booklet, composed only of photos. This booklet, this " brand book " as they say, contained photos as heterogeneous as:
A philosophy dissertation by Rémi when he was a student.
A photo of Mathieu's mother, Corine, standing in a living room.
A photo of Mathieu's signet ring.
A photo of Rémi as a young man, in a vintage car.
A photo from one of their trips (I think it's Mathieu's wedding).
And of course, a topless photo of a woman in fine lingerie.
You're lucky, I don't think these photos have ever been published on the web!
And it continued for about a hundred pages. There were other photos of young Mathieu and Rémi, most often out and about, but no techwear here, they wore simple open and slightly wrinkled shirts.
Some elements referring to the Ménonville family (letter of ennoblement, family castle, engravings, etc.), photos of the life of the Melinda Gloss brand (communication campaigns, fashion shows), photos of icons from the 70s and some beautiful interiors or objects.
And on the cover, this mysterious title: “Éditions MR”.
"We're changing our name, Benoît."
When Mathieu told me that, I knew it was going to be an interesting evening. I'm still just as curious to understand this brand, even if I've been wearing less Melinda Gloss lately.
And that's what I'd like to talk about today: how does a brand decide to change its name? It's a pretty courageous move for a whole bunch of easily understandable reasons.
From parade to name change
If we go back a little in time, in the history of the brand, the name was chosen spontaneously (the passion of youth...) and represented this sulphurous and slightly erotic side of the brand. .
Why not, that's how I knew her and it never bothered me. Besides, I found the contrast between the label and the pieces interesting.
In a logic of international development, the brand began to do fashion shows . A fashion show costs a fortune, but it is an almost obligatory passage for export to Japan and the USA. A fashion show gives credibility to a brand, gives it legitimacy and acts as a sounding board abroad.
Here is a photo from one of their SS15 shows at the Cloître de Port-Royal in Paris.
If showing off your brand is a bit of a consecration, Rémi and Mathieu begin to feel something unexpected and that they had not anticipated... The alignment between their vision, the brand project and its realization was beginning to become slightly off-kilter...
The shows have obviously pushed them to be more creative, but the downside is that it has also created distance between them and their customers. In this regard, they remind me of the evening we had for the launch of our collaboration of the second summer blazer , in wool and cotton, where you and I were in their store simply chatting with the designers.
They miss these moments of exchange, while proximity has always been in their DNA, as well as this "more real" side, anchored in everyday life. Important values for them, which the parades were beginning to mask.
And much more concretely, I imagine that the name posed some problems for foreign buyers, who had difficulty buying a masculine brand with a feminine name.
In short, it was necessary to change to regain proximity .
If there is the word "Editions" in this new name, it is because they borrow it from the English word "editor". The brand wants to publish clothes that will last through the ages. Rémi tells me that the aging of the materials is planned in his head when he chooses them.
And surprisingly for a creator, he never wants to "go too far in creation" and rediscover that initial impulse, certain aspects of that beautiful era.
Besides, if there are so many references to Mathieu's ancestors in the brand book , it is simply to convey this idea of returning to one's own roots. Of assuming one's past, of not denying Melinda Gloss, but of including her in their story.
Rémi, Mathieu and friends, on a trip to Argentina. I find this photo very beautiful.
MR Editions: A Life in a Hotel
That's why they decided to do a " reboot " of their iconic pieces. The trench coat is obviously present, but Rémi also tells me that officer collars are making a big comeback, as is this shawl collar jacket, rather unique on the French market when it came out.
But that's not all, Rémi and Mathieu's other inspiration is, to say the least, astonishing.
For this winter, the collection currently in stores has the theme… the hotel.
Yes, yes, the hotel!
- Wait, I don't quite understand, why did you choose to make a clothing collection on the theme of the hotel?
- Well, you know Benoit, life in a hotel is special... It's a life without constraints, no bills to pay, no cleaning, no tidying, and there's a sulphurous side to it."
Well yes, when you bring someone back to your hotel room, it's rarely for tea.
And that's where Mathieu and Rémi tell me about their "room 42" period. Between two apartments, between two slices of life, they each lived for several months in a very special hotel, the Hotel La Louisiane in Saint-Germain-des-Près...
You only have to go to the home page of the site from another age to understand that its simplicity is matched only by its effectiveness. We have clearly remained on a design and web ergonomics that must be close to 20 years old.
To give you an idea, I once recommended to a buddy in trouble - passing through Paris - to take a room there while he was in the neighborhood. He replied with these words: "Benoit, ok, the hotel is not very expensive but there is no TV and, if you want fast Internet, you have to go to the reception."
The fact remains that the price is unbeatable for a Parisian hotel in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Près: if you are alone, it will cost you only €71 per night.
Rémi and Mathieu, at the window of room 42.
This is the tip of the iceberg.
But it is precisely this simplicity, its location off the tourist trail and its affordable price that have contributed to this hotel becoming a must-see for many artists, musicians, actors and writers , providing it with an incredible cultural life.
In bulk: Miles Davis, Juliette Greco, Boris Vian, Quentin Tarantino, John Coltrane, Ernest Hemingway, Jean-Paul Sartre, Salvador Dalí and many, many others. All have stayed several times in this hotel in search of encounters, inspirations, tranquility.
Juliette Gréco getting out of bed at the Hotel La Louisiane in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 1950.
In the eyes of Mathieu and Rémi, these rooms have become cult, so much so that they filmed a few interviews in room number 42 (where you will notice the very bare decoration), the very one where they each lived for several weeks.
This mini site “ room 42 ” represents very well the current influences of the new brand, between decoration and nonchalance.
There, in my head, the pieces of the puzzle finally come together: the sulphurous, adventurous and unexpected side of life in a hotel, this interlude of life without constraints where freedom and culture mingle with the desire to enjoy, are ultimately elements that correspond well to Melinda Gloss, or rather Éditions MR… or rather to Mathieu and Rémi!
But I was still intrigued, because this winter's collection had to tick all three boxes:
- mark the name change…
- …but returning to the brand’s roots, to its iconic pieces…
- …while having the theme “hotel life”.
Well, I won't hide from you that I was very curious to discover this famous collection a month later.
For life at the hotel, I wondered how Rémi was going to play with this theme, but it was ultimately very obvious once he explained the "trick" to me.
A collection that responds well to its problem
They started from the principle that having a hotel room necessarily implies a busy social life in the evening (the adventure, the freedom of the hotel, all that), that you therefore need clothes that you could wear in your hotel room, very comfortable, and go on an adventure outside without having to change .
The idea finally seemed very brilliant to me because, if finally this collection has some " home wear " aspects - these clothes that we wear at home after a day of work -, rare are the contemporary designers who risk themselves on this ground. Even if there is an undeniable dimension of comfort, we cannot say that it conveys dreams and a strong imagination...
But in fact, Rémi really succeeded in giving this “indoor clothes that can be worn outside” aspect, visible in the looks of the collection.
The spirit of the collection is very well represented by this outfit, with this "dressing gown" coat and these very comfortable slippers.
So we notice these very unstructured, "soft", comfortable coats , which could almost serve as a dressing gown once you get home. Or these warm and loose pants with a high waist, for maximum comfort.
In terms of materials, it is therefore logical that we find velvet available in several colors, and in pants! If I am not at all used to wearing velvet pants, I recognize that on certain looks, it brings variety to change from wool or jeans.
The gauge constantly oscillates between comfort and elegance.
Still on the subject of pants, Éditions MR could not miss the ultimate pants for relaxing at home: the sweatpants. They are available here in a superb khaki merino knit.
And as usual, it is on this kind of very casual pieces that Rémi is gifted at adding an elegant and high-end touch.
Finally, it’s impossible to finish on the “ home wear ” side without talking about the terry polo shirt .
It's a piece that I've never managed to get used to (yes, it's the pajamas side), but Rémi and Mathieu are very keen on it, because it has made a few appearances in several collections.
We find him here in a complete suit, with atypical checks.
As for the reboot of iconic pieces, the shawl collar jacket is indeed making a comeback. I also knew that Rémi was a big fan of jackets, unlike Mathieu who I always saw with very long coats.
For this reason, there are several bomber jackets and some leather jackets (especially suede).
A material that he seems to particularly enjoy working with, since he even goes so far as to make a splendid overshirt from it.
Chambray is also back in the form of a nice western shirt, apparently made of Japanese material, which I might fall for. In fact, for shirts, it's been a constant over the years: there are always some really nice things in this "nice, casual but not too casual" niche.
More discreet but perfectly executed, the tailored pieces are present, providing pretty suits and blazers.
Quality remains but prices drop
In the interest of accessibility, prices have dropped. This is a great effort to be commended. We can now find shirts for less than €150, some of which are as low as €135, something that was extremely rare before. And, FINALLY, shirt collars have spaces for removable stays!
Some jackets also go below €500, some of which are now made in Portugal.
If the collection meets expectations in terms of clothing and desirability, in my opinion it remains THE challenge to be met for Éditions MR, formatted and accustomed to communicating with the usual means of the "environment": establishing a real dialogue, an exchange with their community.
While each statement by the brand on social networks is reduced to the bare minimum (there are barely any sentences with a verb, and in French), I have trouble seeing how dialogue will be established.
Rémi and Mathieu, like many creators, refuse to put themselves forward and speak in their names (this is also a point on which I do not agree, but that is not the purpose of this article). For example, they preferred never to post comments on BonneGueule when I talked about them.
And in my opinion, without speaking, there is no exchange and therefore no proximity. But Mathieu and Rémi being two rather brilliant minds , I know they will manage to surprise me .
Like an old friend who always has a card up his sleeve that you didn't see coming, even after years of friendship.
Finally, I invite you to watch this video symbolizing the transition between the two names in a very explicit way, where many winks to the beginnings of Melinda Gloss slip in. You will see the legendary hen and some well-known clothes, if you have been following the brand for a while…
At the beginning of the video, we can clearly see this famous unstructured coat that bridges the gap between an indoor garment and an outdoor coat. To write this article, I went back to the store and the promise was kept: the collections are more sober, with more subtle twists, and lower prices than before.
We are less in a purely designer brand, but much more in a clothing brand that we simply want to wear every day , without ever asking ourselves the question "Isn't this a little too daring for me?" . No, here everything is nice and easy to put on.
That's how this evening ended at Mathieu's, talking about their evolution with an open heart. I want to thank them for being so transparent with me, very few brands dare to confide their doubts to me personally.
Well done to them, the future looks very promising.
And as I leave Mathieu's apartment, he stops me long enough to quickly scribble a few words in the brand book : "to the one who was there from the beginning."
