Some people embody the delicate balance between heritage and modernity in fashion and luxury. Éléonore Baudry, CEO of Figaret Paris, belongs to that rare generation of leaders capable of preserving the soul of a heritage house while skilfully propelling it into the spirit of the times.
Since its founding in 1968, Figaret has established itself as a benchmark of the French shirt, synonymous with impeccable cuts, exceptional materials, and understated chic. The brand has undergone a graceful transformation, sharpening its image, modernising its collections, and winning over new audiences in France and internationally.
In this exclusive interview, Éléonore Baudry passionately and insightfully shares her vision of the craft, her eye for detail, her commitment to more sustainable fashion, and her deep love for the art of the shirt. A captivating conversation with a leader who believes in the power of thoughtful gestures, carefully chosen words, and deliberate decisions — in a sector where every nuance matters and where elegance remains, more than ever, a question of sincerity.
LuxuryActivist (LA): Dear Éléonore, I’ve followed your career and noticed you’ve travelled extensively. What have you taken away from these experiences? Is there a lesson, a mantra, or a guiding principle that shapes your work at Figaret today?
Éléonore Baudry (E.B.): I’ve been fortunate to work in many countries — in Asia and Egypt, but above all, I have worked for many years in the United States. What struck me most was the realisation that, despite all my years in American companies, despite being fluent in English and loving the culture, I wasn’t American. Once I arrived, I was surprised by certain unexpected aspects that challenged my preconceived ideas. From that, I’ve retained a deep curiosity and the desire to approach others without preconceptions.
Working in the United States also gave me a valuable head start, particularly in digital matters. When I returned to France, I was two or three years ahead simply because I had the good fortune to be in the right place at the right time. The French market has caught up considerably today, but that early advantage has brought me a great deal.
LA: And today, how do these experiences shape your work at Figaret?
E.B.: They nourish two essential aspects at Figaret: the digital and the relationship with the brand and retail. At Gucci, I learned how to immerse myself in a house’s DNA — to respect and help it evolve without betraying it. A brand is a fragile thing: you need to add layers without ever damaging it. At Figaret, we have celebrated this “art of the shirt” since 1968, and we root it in modernity without slipping into easy trends. We are a brand that whispers, not a brand that shouts.
As for retail, it has always been my world: I started at Procter and spent seven years in strategic consulting within this sector. We have 31 boutiques, which means a multitude of daily interactions. Brand transformation happens through close attention to detail, to people, and to listening carefully to the “faint signals.” We want our customers to have an extraordinary experience, because you can buy shirts anywhere, but a beautiful experience is rare and precious.
LA: You mentioned returning to France with a head start in digital. How do you see France’s positioning on these topics today?
E.B.: At the time, there was indeed a delay — the adoption of e-commerce was slower. But the catch-up has been spectacular. Today, France remains a major trendsetter, particularly in fashion. That said, I find Italy is powerful at the moment. At Figaret, we align ourselves with this spirit: hyper-chic, elegant fashion, without loud logos or anything “in your face.” Our customers are looking for quality pieces they will wear often and for a long time — garments with meaning and genuine craftsmanship.
LA: When you arrived at Figaret, what were your keys to “waking the sleeping beauty”?
E.B.: Yes, it needed waking up… but it was already stunning — that was our advantage! When I arrived in 2018, the craftsmanship and quality were certainly there, but the brand had slipped off the radar. We needed to bring it back into the spotlight.
We worked on three main fronts. First, image and communication: nothing was broken, but we were no longer in tune with the times. We had to restore pride in our customers and make them say, “I went to Figaret” with enthusiasm. To do that, we had to fully embrace our classic heritage and claim it as an asset at a time when people were realising that classic, in fact, is in fashion.
Next, we rethought the offering: We tightened the business focus, developed the casual line, and relaunched the women’s collection in a modern way. Finally, we worked on the in-store experience: We retained our long-standing salespeople, those who know the product inside out, while bringing in fresh energy to embody the balance between classic heritage and contemporary vitality.
LA: Figaret has existed since 1968. Do you still make “the perfect shirt”?
E.B.: Yes, and more than ever! When I arrived, one of the first priorities was to ensure that our shirts were truly perfect. We adjusted the cuts, added quality details like double ascolite stitching to reinforce the collar and cuff buttons, and strengthened quality control across all our workshops.
This season, we launched the “Les Beaux Tissus” collection, using exceptional fabrics from Albini, Thomas Mason, and Canclini—the great Italian textile makers. We’ve done all this while staying within a very reasonable price range because we’re not an elitist brand; we are a brand of beautiful things.
LA: Your “Je t’aime” collection caught my attention. Do art and literature play an essential role at Figaret?
E.B.: Absolutely. We are a heritage brand, deeply rooted in French culture, and our clients are sensitive to that universe. For example, we were the first brand to collaborate with the publishing house Gallimard: we created a Rimbaud shirt embroidered with a line from A Season in Hell — “Love must be reinvented” — and an Antoine de Saint-Exupéry shirt, inspired by his aviator world, featuring a ripstop parachute fabric pocket for a flight plan and a phrase taken from his love letters: “Let’s hurry to dream.”
We also organise “La Passion du Style literary dinners” in our Rue de la Paix boutique. After closing, in a speakeasy atmosphere, a guest comes to share their passion for an author’s work. As for the “Je t’aime” shirt, it’s inspired by Claude Sautet’s film The Things of Life. In it, Romy Schneider borrows Michel Piccoli’s shirt, and we’ve embroidered “Je t’aime” near the heart so that it can be hidden or revealed depending on one’s mood. This piece has become iconic for us, collected by some of our clients, and it’s also a beautiful way to discover the brand or to offer a gift to a loved one.
LA: Today, new generations place great importance on digital and sustainability. How is Figaret evolving on these two fronts?
E.B.: Digital is crucial, naturally, both for our e-commerce, which has delivered everywhere, including Switzerland, for quite some time, and in our boutiques. If a customer cannot find a particular piece, we order it and arrange delivery to their home, often as soon as the next day.
We have made strong commitments to sustainability. We produce exclusively in France, Europe, and the Maghreb, never in Asia, and we avoid using air freight for transport. Above all, we want our clothes to be worn often and for a long time. That is true luxury and the best approach to corporate social responsibility. We even offer a repair service through our website. A quality product deserves to endure; it is as simple as that.
LA: You have begun expanding internationally, with your first boutique in Brussels and now in Geneva. How does this fit into your overall development?
E.B.: We took five years to restore the brand’s splendour in France, and today we are ready to cross borders. Belgium was an obvious choice, as our Belgian customers were already coming to Paris and Lille and buying a lot online. It is the same with Switzerland. We have many Swiss clients, and Geneva is an international city where the Swiss hold a real place. The idea is to be able to tell our story in-store, not just on a website. Next, we have London in our sights for next year. We hold a unique position that can appeal even in a country of shirts, because what we offer differs from anyone else.
LA: You also hold a key role on the board of directors of the Fédération Française du Prêt-à-Porter Féminin. How does this experience shape your perspective on women’s fashion at Figaret?
E.B.: This role allows me to stay attentive to the evolution of women’s fashion and to the real needs of women, both in their professional and personal lives. At Figaret, we want to offer shirts that accompany women in every dimension of their lives — elegant, versatile, and comfortable pieces. We pay particular attention to the choice of fabrics, cuts, and details to offer timeless pieces. Fashion should be both a means of expression and a daily ally. A woman should never choose between elegance, comfort, and authenticity.
LA: What question do you wish I had asked you, but haven’t yet?
E.B.: You could have asked me, “Do you have a special connection with Switzerland?” And the answer is, “Yes!” My mother is Swiss, so I am Swiss myself, and I am particularly delighted that we are opening in Geneva. I am from Valais and have many cousins in the Lausanne and Sion regions.
LA: What can we wish you for the future?
E.B.: The encounter happens between our brand and the clients. We hope for a smooth, successful launch, where customers will have the pleasure of discovering a new brand they genuinely enjoy. This is the ambition we have for Figaret.
In conclusion with Éléonore Baudry
Under the leadership of Éléonore Baudry, the house of Figaret has masterfully combined tradition and modernity, breathing fresh life into the brand without ever unpicking the seams of its heritage. Each shirt, each collection, each detail becomes a statement: one of luxury that takes its time, of beauty anchored in longevity, of a house that prefers the whisper to the loud display.
At the helm of this renaissance, Éléonore Baudry is a rare, cosmopolitan figure shaped by her international experiences, determined, and endowed with an ambitious and grounded vision. She pays as much attention to roots as to aspirations, carefully cultivating a delicate balance between commercial demands and aesthetic pursuit. For her, every decision, every collaboration, every detail matters, because at its core, it is about making a heritage house resonate with the rhythm of the contemporary world.
Ultimately, at Figaret, they do more than sew shirts. They weave stories, button up dreams, and press the past to open it towards a better tomorrow. For here, elegance is not merely a matter of thread and needle; it is a literature to be worn, a patient script that, stitch by stitch, writes the chapters of a desirable future.
José Amorim
The information in this article was researched and compiled exclusively for LuxuryActivist.com. All content is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted without prior written permission. Images are used solely for illustrative purposes. Images are courtesy of Figaret Paris.