Marine Lloris launched Manège en Sucre, a brand of high-end children’s dresses in 2016. Now, the luxury line is in full swing, available for retail at Harvey Nichols in London and Galeries Lafayette CAP 3000 near Nice.
It might be assumed that the success of the Manège en Sucre stemmed on the fact that its founder is the wife of the prominent footballer Hugo Lloris, who plays as goalkeeper of both the Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the French national team. However, the brand’s success comes from its founder’s talent and spirited entrepreneurship.
An unusual path
With graduate degrees in social psychology, law and human resources management, Marine Lloris was not always destined to be a childrenswear designer. Yet her life with her husband and two children inspired her down this path. “When my second daughter was born, I had a desire to create my own business,” she told FashionUnited FR. “I have always loved textiles, creation and of course, fashion.”
The dress as the centerpiece
Manège en Sucre combines English style and French chic. It lives in the market’s niche of high-end clothing for children, keeping the dress as the centerpiece of the line. In this niche, the brand can cater to formal dresses for ceremonies and baptisms and therefore outfits kids from 24 months to 12 years. It is made almost entirely in Italy.
“I like creating shapes and dresses for little girls inhigh quality fabrics that are normally intended only for adult clothing,” Lloris explained. “This is my trademark. When a client is looking for a dress for an event, I want her to instantly think of Manège en Sucre.”
Looking to the future
After retailing at the London department store Harvey Nichols for three seasons, Manège en Sucre is extending its reach through a retail partnership with the Galleries Lafayette location in France’s Saint-Laurent-du-Var near Nice and in a five-star hotel in Ramatuelle, France.
Lloris mentioned that she is also in talks with other major department stores such as Le Bon Marché and Printemps. “The goal is not to develop too quickly but to rather choose qualitative and strategic points of sale,” she explained, noting that she would also consider expanding retail to Dubai or China.
In the meantime, Manège en Sucre is working on expanding its product offering to include bath towels, blankets, comforters, all of which would be able to be embroidered. Plus, the designer has just announced that she is expecting her third child, possibly boosting her inspiration for Manège en Sucre!
This article was originally published on FashionUnited.fr, edited and translated by Robyn Turk.
Photos : Portrait or Marine Lloris, Manège en Sucre collection 2019.
