Philosophy
It's no secret that at the start of the 21st century, fashion is one of the most polluting industries on the planet. This particularly applies to fast fashion, which, with extremely low clothing prices and the constant updating of collections, has led to rampant consumption and a throwaway culture. The figures speak for themselves, because over the past fifteen years, our clothing consumption has more than doubled.* And, as textile production explodes - 100 billion garments are made every year around the world, spending on clothing is falling. At the same time, the lifespan of a garment has drastically decreased. The textile industry is part of a globalised chain, because, before it ends up in stores, a piece of clothing may end up travelling around the planet more than once. Thus, from growing raw materials (which requires large amounts of water) through to transport to manufacturing plants through to the transport of the finished product... the making of clothes is a genuine threat to the environment.
Today, faced with this ecological challenge, the fashion sector is finally aware of the issue and starting to change. At Manoush, respect for the world around us is particularly important to us. We are not perfect; that is why we do not define ourselves as a 100% eco-friendly brand. But every day, we're asking the right questions. How? By trying to progress with the constraints that we see. By trying to find solutions in order to innovate and produce less and better. Because we care about the planet, people and animals. Because for us, fashion should go hand in hand with a sense of ethics, clear thinking, creativity and philosophical commitment. Because we are convinced that fashion is, more than anything, a huge source of joy.
We would like to introduce you to our values, our philosophy and our commitments.
OUR VALUES
Frédérique Trou-Roy founded Manoush in 2002. By first creating for herself, she follows in the tradition of the rare designers to wear their own designs. As such, Frédérique truly embodies her fashion. This fashion is that of a contemporary, free and independent woman. It is therefore no coincidence that Frédérique isn't one to frenetically follow trends. What matters to her is telling great stories. Her collections are the result of a creative drive, an idea, a feeling. The result is a quality wardrobe that is unique and steeped in vintage culture. Even if a Manoush item of clothing has been asleep in your closet for several years, once it comes back out, it will not have lost any of its charm. On the contrary, because it will give you the same thrill as when you first found it. Manoush pieces always have a «little twist» - neat finishes and a quirky feel. They are distinctly powerful and unique.
Frédérique is keen to work in an artisanal way. This is why she designs all the collections within the Parisian studio. The designer favours productions in small quantities, and therefore small amounts of stock. Manoush has two collections in the year (others produce up to 24!). Some pieces are real treasures, with only a handful of them in different sizes around the world. You will therefore be unlikely to meet someone wearing the same product ;)
Throughout the Manoush adventure, we have forged a special relationship with our suppliers and with our artisans (we have been working with the same factories since we first started out). Whether they're in China or India, our artisans are endowed with exceptional know-how - they are the ones who make our exclusive prints. We recently relocated part of our production to Europe, such as Italy for knitwear or Portugal for accessories. Other designs, such as the sleeved pieces, are made in France. Thanks to new technology, collaboration is even smoother and faster. These innovations also allow us to cut down on air travel, and thus reduce our carbon footprint.
While Manoush is a humanitarian adventure, it is more than anything a women-centric adventure. Women are the very essence of the brand: Frédérique is a woman who creates clothing for young active people, trendy mums or their teens as well. For too long, women have been relegated to the background. Through our collections, we therefore want to celebrate strong and inspiring female figures, whether they are a painter of yesteryear or an iconic actress. We also emphasise diversity in our photo shoots. While not so long ago, the profession of photographer (espacially in fashion) was dominated by men, now more and more girls are emerging by launching their photography career on social media. This is why we collaborate with young talents whose world speaks to us and resembles us. By calling on these artists, we are helping to make the “female gaze” more common in both photography and in fashion.
*according to the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe)
ANIMAL WELFARE
Animal welfare is one of the causes that deeply motivates us. We have given up the use of skins, fur, angora and feathers. We seek to work with the best alternatives while remaining faithful to our requirements. Our accessories are made from vegan leather. For the bags we use textile and PU (an artificial leather). As for the shoes, they are made of textiles and lined with mesh (a type of wide mesh textile that allows the foot to breathe). While our boots, as well as some soles are still made of cowhide, as soon as we have access to an accessible alternative (like mushroom or pineapple leather), we will go for it!
“I grew up in the countryside surrounded by animals. There was Sydney the dog, five cats, a pony and the donkey who was my darling... Even today, I appreciate having a large garden to accommodate them! I am very sensitive to animal welfare. Unfortunately, so many animals face a tragic fate. Every year, millions of poor animals are killed for their fur. Peter Singer is an Australian philosopher and pioneer of ethical reflections on animal welfare. He is particularly well known for being the author of «Animal Liberation». For him, animal welfare is first and foremost a fight for equality. After I stopped eating animals, I decided to lead this campaign,” explains Frédérique.
«Hell does not exist for animals, they are already in it» wrote Victor Hugo in the 19th century.
