Sessùn, an urban look with an ethno-chic twist.
The French label Sessùn was born after its founder spent time exploring South America. Although still clearly visible today, the ethnic inspiration of its beginnings has given way to a more urban style, as demonstrated by the iconic leather Sessùn coat. In addition to women’s clothing, the brand creates numerous fashion accessories in fabric and leather.
South American origins.
Emma François, founder of the Sessùn fashion house had travelled very widely before discovering a passion for fashion. On one occasion during a stay in Guatemala, the young woman had a "mystical" experience when she observed the local populations working with fabric and leather. Her mind was made up - she would give up her economic anthropology studies and become a designer. The year was 1994, and the brand Sessùn was born. Made in Guatemala, her first ready-to-wear collections were presented four years later at the Who's Next trade show in Paris, where she met with overwhelming success. The designer used the opportunity to move production of her garments to France, then opened her clothing boutique in Marseille, also selling fabric and leather accessories.
First and foremost, a ready-to-wear brand, Sessùn also proposes accessories that demonstrate its affinity with the South American continent. Long necklaces in the shape of condors, head scarfs and long scarves in cotton or alpaca, braided belts, chunky knit hats and mittens... A great many Sessùn pieces take us on a journey to the very heart of the Andes. A globe-trotter at heart, Emma François is acutely aware of details, which can be seen in the "chiselled" look of her brass jewellery and the textured seams on the brand's shoes. Finally, as far as leather goods are concerned, the iconic leather or fabric print Piou bag gets revisited each season and comes in a spectrum of colours.
A designer open to new horizons.
Today, Sessùn is an online shop and has over 800 points of sale worldwide. Despite the success of her brand, Emma François has never stopped travelling. She can often be found in Japan where she seeks the inspiration needed to dream up the textiles made of fibres from organic and fair trade sources that she uses for her collections. She also draws ideas for her own creations in designer Dries Van Noten's wardrobe. Curious and versatile, Emma François is constantly clocking up new experiences and enjoys inviting artists from different trades and professions into her world. That explains how she ended up joining forces with two DJs to produce sound tracks that are played in her shops. Finally, in 2015 the brand branched out and created a line of wedding dresses aptly named "Oui" (yes).
Over the years, Sessùn has adopted a more Parisian aesthetic, but that doesn't mean that its South American roots have been forgotten. Going from an urban look to ethno-chic style, a few of the must-have pieces that perfectly embody the label's identity: