48.8566° N, 2.3522° E
‘Paris is a beautiful eye on the world, where you can meet so many cultures.’
Photo>>>Thomas Aulagner
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Experience the vibe of Paris with Camille Tanoh. A renowned fashion and product designer, Camille grew up immersed in the cultural fabric of the city, which is a major source of his creative inspiration.
His brand The Proper Label is paving the way for a more sustainable fashion industry, one product at a time, with a focus on democratizing sustainability. We caught up with Camille in Paris to explore his Travel Playbook of insider gems to tap into the creative culture of the city — from luxury grooming brands and decadent hot chocolates to a picture-perfect picnic by the Seine.
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On how travel inspires you
Traveling turned me into a great observer. You see people’s perspectives on life. When you’re traveling, or at least when you’re in the air, you see Earth as a living organism. You understand how the whole machine works, and that you’re part of it. So I think travel gives you a level of humility to question the things that you do.
‘Paris was the foundation for me to develop my taste in art, culture and music.’
On Paris in one word
Sophistication. But when I talk about sophistication, it's really attention to detail. It's called the City of Light or the City of Love, but I think Paris is much more than that. It's an experience that allows you to discover new tastes and sensations.
On innovation at The Proper Label
The core of our mission at the Proper Label is to democratize sustainability. One of the key components of sustainability is trust, and every item of our new collection comes with a QR code which allows the customer to trace the products. When you scan the code, you have a map of the where the product is sourced and manufactured, the energy used, and the certificates associated with the products. It's amazing. The QR codes enable us to build a relationship with the consumer.
All images of Camille Tanoh in Paris by Thomas Aulagner for Exceptional ALIEN.
On the concept of soul fashion
There is soul music, there is soul food, but there is no soul fashion. When people design things, it’s rarely for others or for the planet, and most of the time it’s greenwashing. My family are from a tribe in the Ivory Coast that is very spiritual. Our mom told us that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, so it really made sense to focus on sustainability. We talk about linear versus circular. Linear means you take, you make, you use, then you throw away. Circular means you take, you make, you use, then you reuse.
On your relationship with Paris
I love Paris and I have a personal relationship with the city. I do believe that it's one of the best cities in the world. It's a beautiful eye on the world, where you can meet so many cultures. It's also one of the most aesthetically pleasing cities.
First row of The Proper Label by Joel Bessa. Video shot by Thomas Aulagner for Exceptional ALIEN. We thank the Fondation Louis Vuitton for their generosity and assistance in allowing us to shoot there, the masterful architectural contribution Frank Gehry has made, and the building’s copyright as retained by © Gehry Partners, LLP and Frank O. Gehry. We also thank and acknowledge the following works and artists: ‘La Grande Vallee XVI, Pour Iva,’ ‘La Grande Vallee IX,’ ‘La Grande Vallee’ and ‘La Grande Vallee XIV (For a Little While)’ by Joan Mitchell; ‘Sketch of the Foundation Louis Vuitton’ by Frank O. Gehry; ‘Inside the horizon’ by Olafur Eliasson; and ’Canyon’ by Katarina Gross.
On how the city inspires your creativity
Growing up in Paris was a beautiful experience. We were going to the Louvre from about seven years of age. Paris was the foundation for me to develop my taste in art, culture and music. I was looking at my sneaker collection and I realized that there are so many lines — that was inspired from being born and raised in Paris: the architecture, the symmetry, the geometry. There’s this desire for excellence and quality. Paris definitely inspires me every day in my life as a creative.
On how to spend the warmer months in Paris
Paris in warmer weather is beautiful. You have the opportunity to live like a local and rediscover the city. There are a lot of things to do. You can enjoy the open-air cinema at Parc de la Villette, which is really nice. I would definitely recommend grabbing a bottle of wine by the river with friends. You can have a picture-perfect picnic. And the city of Paris turns the Seine into a beach. So they bring some sand and you can actually hang by the river. I love having a café en terrasse. It’s very Parisian.
‘I love the Fondation Louis Vuitton. It feels like an earthbound ship in Paris.’
On enjoying the French capital at night
I love Paris by night. I would start my evening with a drink, with a view of the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower. Then after, you can have a nice dinner in the 16th district. At night, I would recommend going to a nightclub. Also, there are a lot of free festivals. I think the calmness during the summer is very rare compared to a lot of cities in Europe.
First and second rows of Officine Universelle Buly. Second and third rows of Camille Tanoh and Frédéric Malle store. All images by Thomas Aulagner for Exceptional ALIEN.
On where you love to shop
Officine Buly is a luxury grooming brand founded by Ramdane Touhami, an amazing creative entrepreneur. It brings new life and some sense of modernity to Saint-Germain. You will find creams and pomades and luxury grooming presented in a very beautiful setup. I love Frédéric Malle. It is really unique. When luxury brands and fragrances were focusing on having celebrities as figureheads, he drew attention to the product itself, developing smells with stories.
On cultural gems
I love the Fondation Louis Vuitton. It feels like an earthbound ship in Paris that was designed by one of my favorite architects, Frank Gehry. The juxtaposition of the modern collection and the contemporary art makes it very interesting. There are four floors of exhibitions and you have an amazing view of Paris. It's really calm and beautiful. It's truly a gem. I also love the Galerie Perrotin. Emmanuel Perrotin was an art dealer who democratized the perception of art. He made it more accessible, and also made cohesive curations with different artists who represent a point of view.
First row left of Katarina Grosse’s ‘Canyon’; right of Olafur Eliasson’s ‘Inside the horizon’ at the Fondation Louis Vuitton. Second row of Joan Mitchell’s ‘La Grande Vallee IX’ at the Fondation Louis Vuitton. Third and fourth rows of Angelina. All images by Thomas Aulagner for Exceptional ALIEN. We thank the Fondation Louis Vuitton for their generosity and assistance in allowing us to shoot there, the masterful architectural contribution Frank Gehry has made, and the building’s copyright as retained by © Gehry Partners, LLP and Frank O.Gehry. We also thank and acknowledge the following works and artists: ‘La Grande Vallee IX’ by Joan Mitchell; ‘Inside the horizon’ by Olafur Eliasson; and ’Canyon’ by Katarina Gross.
On where to warm up as the weather cools down
Angelina is the perfect place to take a pause in Paris. It's a café in front of des Tuileries. You can get a hot chocolate and an amazing croissant, and please order a mille-feuille. You will have a great time.
On a song that represents Paris for you
‘La Bohème’ by Charles Aznavour.
On something you can’t travel without
I always have a small bottle of fragrance by Frédéric Malle. I just love it.
On a window or aisle seat
Definitely the window because it allows you to dream.
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