Robin Nozay, laperruque cofounder

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background? What led you to found LaPerruque?

I trained as an engineer, but after a brief stint in finance in London, I shifted my focus to men’s fashion, a subject I’m passionate about. I later worked in product development at Burberry, handled men’s fashion buying for the Printemps department stores, and did marketing for an accessible luxury brand. Ultimately, LaPerruque is the result of my search for alignment between my passions, values, and career.

You ran the blog Redingote. How did that experience influence your vision of clothing and craftsmanship?

Together with Robin, my partner behind LaPerruque, we ran the blog Redingote for eight years around 2010. The way the internet was used back then was very different from today: you had to actively seek out content; it wasn’t served up by social media like it is now. That era allowed enthusiasts of all kinds to create blogs about the topics they were passionate about. Redingote was one of those projects, focusing on men’s fashion.

Redingote opened many doors for us. It allowed us to get a foothold in the men’s fashion industry and led to some wonderful encounters and discoveries. All we had to do was contact a brand, and we could interview the designer, visit their showroom, or tour their workshop. This enabled us to delve even deeper into our obsessions and to share our appreciation for objects and clothing designed with care, that have an authentic and interesting story, and that combine classic and contemporary styles.

We still pay the hosting fees, and our articles remain available for curious readers looking for information about the history of Guernsey sweaters, the different types of shearling jackets used by the U.S. Army, or a photo report from inside Carmina’s workshop in Mallorca.

In the end, Redingote is the crucible from which Laperruque emerged. Laperruque is exactly the kind of brand we would have loved to write about on Redingote.

How did you first become interested in clothing and leather goods in particular?

As a teenager, like many others, I started paying attention to how I dressed in order to fit in and to connect with the people I was interested in. Fashion is a particularly fascinating field because it’s an applied art that intersects with so many other areas: craftsmanship, photography, history, cinema, graphic design, music… I ended up becoming deeply interested, reading everything I could find, starting the blog, and eventually switching careers to work in the industry.

As for leather goods, I was introduced to them by Robin, my business partner. He started working with leather about ten years ago in his free time and eventually made the leap to become a leather craftsman.

How would you describe your personal style? Are there any favorite pieces in your wardrobe?

My style is very classic. I appreciate things that are understated, relatively contemporary, and well-made, much like the leather goods we create at Laperruque.

I have a soft spot for vintage artisanal shirts. I have a small collection of old shirts that were custom-made for other men. They come from well-known names like Charvet, Hilditch & Key, Turnbull & Asser, as well as smaller artisanal shirtmakers like Courtot, or even defunct makers like Thuillier or Rhodes & Brousse. These shirts often feature embroidered initials, exceptional fabrics, and are filled with beautiful, touching little details (incredibly fine English seams, hand-rolled hems, a small loop under the collar to hold a tie in place…). Some even have surprising cuts. I find there’s a great deal of poetry in these handcrafted pieces.

How has your personal style evolved over the years? What advice would you give to our readers looking to refine theirs?

Around the age of 18, I got caught up in the trends of the time, but I quickly realized it was a never-ending race. Since then, I’ve focused on buying more classic and well-made pieces so that I can love and wear them for as long as possible. My style hasn’t changed much in the past fifteen years, although it has evolved with the times, becoming more relaxed and voluminous.

I think I’ve mainly learned to relax and think less about it. Clothing surrounds us so much that it can become a true obsession, preventing us from enjoying other beautiful things in life—like artisanal leather goods, for example.

In your opinion, what are the essential pieces for a timeless wardrobe?

I don’t really believe in timelessness in fashion, but the best way to ensure that clothes remain wearable for a long time is to choose pieces that are as simple and high-quality as possible, avoiding stylistic embellishments, which are often tied to trends and tend to lose their appeal over time. However, the result can end up being a bit boring.

What are your favorite places to shop in Paris? And do you have any favorite cafés or restaurants you would recommend?

For vintage: Brut, Thx God I’m a VIP, Chez Sarah at the Clignancourt flea market.

For new items: De Bonne Facture, Husbands, Courtot, Beige Habilleur, Centre Commercial, Royal Cheese, Merci, The Next Door (especially for Auralee).

Restaurants: Le Cheval d’Or, Le Jourdain, Gramme.