Is Being French Still in Fashion?

      Eugénie Trochu is an editor in residence at Who What Wear, celebrated for her impactful contributions to Vogue France and her Substack newsletter, where she chronicles new trends, shares her straightforward views on fashion and style, and offers various reflections. She is also in the process of writing her debut book, which delves into fashion as a realm of memory, imagination, and reinvention.

      Growing up in Normandy, I experienced a France that upheld a very specific ideal of the French woman: slender, enigmatic, a blend of effortless charm and casual indifference that captivated the world. This archetype resembled figures like Jane Birkin, Caroline de Maigret, and Jeanne Damas, along with various (mostly Parisian) women who represented the enchanting yet somewhat stagnant values of the "French woman" in all her supposed glory.

      This myth was characterized by open men's shirts, slightly messy hair, faded red lipstick, Levi's 501 jeans, and that ever-elusive statement of “I got dressed in two minutes,” which, at times, genuinely held truth. I joined Vogue in 2011 and witnessed the gradual disintegration of that myth from within. It was indeed beautiful but confining, claiming to embody freedom while subtly excluding a significant portion of the population. When I took the helm of Vogue France a decade later, my aim was to narrate a different story: not about the French woman, but about French women. Those from Marseille, Lille, Bordeaux, and Paris; those whose appearances, skin tones, heights, hair types, and identities no longer conformed to a singular mold.

      The question “Is being French still a style?” often lingers, as it implies the existence of a single model. However, we have outgrown that model. French style is no longer defined by a silhouette; it’s a dialogue: a dynamic between heritage and contemporary influences, classicism and audacity. It embodies the freedom to be contradictory, to mix vintage with Balenciaga, jeans with heirloom jewelry, and to change opinions on a whim.

      In 2025, the essence of French style is not represented by trench coats, striped tops, or red lipstick. It is an attitude: a refusal to be pigeonholed, dismissing the total look, the stagnant narrative, and the idealized image. It expresses that fashion is not merely a performance but a language—something that can be deeply personal, political, joyful, leisurely, or a mixture of all at once.

      Yet, some aspects of the myth persist. There remains a sense of distance within French culture, a rejection of excess. This notion of "less is more" is not minimalism; it's a subtle restraint that shapes expression without stifling it.

      Moreover, there is a genuine freedom—the freedom to appreciate the classics without sentimentality, to sport a miniskirt at 40, to forgo makeup, or to wear an abundance. It is the liberty to blend the sophisticated with the everyday, to throw a trench coat over a tracksuit, and to pair family heirloom jewelry with a T-shirt.

      Today, that is what French style encompasses: a conversation between heritage and modernity, structure and comfort. It is a balance that cannot be taught or imitated but is redefined every day.

      So yes, being French is still a style, but not in the traditional sense. It is an accent rather than a grammar, an energy instead of a formula.

      Shop Pieces That Better Define What French Style Is Today

      - Rotate Asymmetric High-Rise Straight Jeans

      - Massimo Dutti Striped Sweater With Bandana

      - Maison Margiela Tabi Leather Ballet Flats

      - Zadig&Voltaire Jack Suede Bag

      - ZARA Oversized Jacquard Blazer With Shoulder Pads

      - Rouje x Yasmine Eslami Jeanne Soft Bra Felindra

      - MANGO Metallic Beaded Pendant Collar

      - Catarzi Lisbona Baker Boy Cap

      - The Frankie Shop Gaia Double-Breasted Coat

      - Tricot Lightweight Cashmere Boat Neck

      - ALAÏA Le Teckel Leather-Trimmed Leopard-Print Calf Hair Clutch

      - Marc Jacobs The Unisex Shirt

      - Jacquemus The Gros Grain gloves

      - Tommy Hilfiger Sofia for Tommy Trench Coat

      - Edla Starlight Lace Tights

      - Coperni Sandbox Cycling Sunglasses

      - Sézane The Wide Leg Trousers

      - Saint Laurent Cassandre Silk Satin Scrunchie