Introducing Weill: A 133-Year-Old French Fashion Brand with a Fresh Spirit

PARIS — A renowned innovator of elegant and reasonably priced ready-to-wear in France, Weill faced significant challenges during the pandemic when luxury and fast fashion dominated the market.

However, since January, Weill’s online sales have surged by 80 percent, following a 50 percent increase last year. The overall sales of the company rose by 7 percent in 2024, with renewed interest from specialty stores.

This shift can be attributed to the rising popularity of the “jolie Madame” aesthetic on resale platforms and TikTok, along with a vibrant resurgence among the youth at the Paris-based brand.

Last year, Elie Weill, 42, succeeded his father, Bernard, and uncle, Jean-Pierre, as president and CEO, leading a transformation aimed at appealing to a younger, trendier audience. He represents the fifth generation of this family-owned company, which originally provided private-label clothing to French department stores like Le Bon Marché and La Samaritaine.

“There’s definitely more conversation about the brand now,” Weill mentioned in an interview. “We’ve put in substantial efforts to refresh our brand’s image, making it trendy and desirable again, by modifying the products, collections, imagery, and store concepts… We’ve reinterpreted our rich heritage to make Weill more contemporary and attractive.”

Focusing on Weill’s established reputation for jackets, blouses, and stylish outerwear crafted from artisanal tweeds and luxurious silks and wools sourced from Italy, Weill has enlisted a new design team to refresh its offerings and styling under his leadership.

“I wouldn’t label the brand as outdated, but we recognized the need for a refresh to enhance its appeal and desirability,” said the executive, who has devoted 15 years to the company, covering roles from pattern-making to operations and international growth.

He emphasizes “affordable pricing,” but has recently proposed the addition of a higher-end, annual capsule collection featuring a rotating guest designer.

Named W, the premiere capsule centers around tweed jackets and will start rolling out in Weill stores this week. It is supported by a marketing campaign styled by Marie-Amélie Sauvé, acclaimed for her collaborations with Nicolas Ghesquière at Louis Vuitton and Julien Dossena at Rabanne. She is also the founder and creative director of Mastermind magazine. (Weill opted not to disclose the identity of the first guest designer.)

Created using exceptional textiles, garments from the W collection are priced about 20 percent more than standard Weill items but remain considerably more affordable than high-end designer labels. Jackets range from approximately 645 euros to 985 euros, compared to the main Weill line priced at 500 euros to 675 euros.

Additionally, this week, Weill is inaugurating its showroom for the fall 2025 collections, aiming to capture the attention of American department stores and prominent specialty retailers in Europe and beyond.

Approximately 70 percent of Weill’s revenue is generated through its 25 company-owned stores in France and franchised outlets in regions like the Middle East.

Stores that have undergone renovations with a new theme—somewhere between a showroom and an apartment—are seeing revenue increases of 30 percent, the executive remarked with a smile.

He aims to expand the wholesale segment to represent 50 percent of revenue, up from the current 30 percent, and sees considerable opportunities in North America and Asia.

Accessories are also viewed as a potential growth avenue, with the design team exploring an archival carriage monogram for an enhanced fall 2025 collection.

In Weill’s perspective, consumers, particularly in China, are searching for brands rich in heritage and authenticity, attributes that Weill embodies, dating back to when founder Albert Weill left the Alsace region of France to establish a modest atelier in Paris dedicated to women’s fashion on Rue d’Aboukir, with his wife, Anna, designing every piece.

He mentioned that the company possesses extensive expertise in tailoring and produces all apparel in Europe—primarily in Italy, Poland, and Portugal.

“The goal is to attract the attention of new partners worldwide,” Weill stated.