How Clare V. went from a small California startup to a global fashion brand

In 1995, with only a passing grasp of the French language, Clare Vivier moved to Paris after college. She knew she wanted to live in the fashion capital of the world, but didn’t have much of a plan. So she worked as a waitress and interned at a documentary film production studio.

Her decision paid off. Vivier’s time abroad inspired her to launch her eponymous handbag brand, Clare V., which blends Parisian chic with Californian cool. Over the past 15 years, it’s become a cult brand, with 14 stores across the United States and a staff of 110. But today, she comes full circle because she’s launching a capsule collection with the affordable retailer Monoprix, the French equivalent of Target, which reached out to her on Instagram to propose a collaboration.

Monoprix is beloved in France. It’s the place where people go to buy sturdy, well-priced socks, underwear, and kid’s clothes. It has a special place in Vivier’s heart. “When I first showed up in Paris, I had very little money, so I did a lot of my shopping at Monoprix,” she says. “Even though products are affordable, they are stylish.”

With this collaboration, Vivier designed an assortment of 75 products, including clothes for women and children that feature her signature quirky French sayings like “Bourgeoisie Sauvage,” and “Charmant.” And for the first time, Vivier has designed home goods, including dinner plates, tablecloths, and rugs. “I got to explore how the brand can play out across new categories, like baby clothes,” Vivier says.

This is a new direction for Vivier, who is known for her handbags, which can cost upwards of $400. But pieces in this collaboration feature a lower price point, with totes at $60 and jackets at $80.

Clare V. began in Los Angeles and has a strong following in the United States, but Vivier is keen for it to become a global label. In many ways, this partnership with Monoprix is a master class in how to make that happen. Starting tomorrow, the collections will be available across hundreds of Monoprix stores in France, as well as on the brand’s website, exposing Clare V. to millions of French customers overnight. To capitalize on this new awareness, Vivier recently opened a pop-up in the fashionable Parisian shopping district of Le Marais, so customers who are intrigued by the brand can shop its mainline products.

But it’s not so easy to get the attention of a big chain like Monoprix. Cecile Coquelet, Monoprix’s creative director, stumbled across the brand when she was in Los Angeles, and thought it would resonate with French customers because it had a French flair. At the same time, it was still an under-the-radar brand that would feel new, and bring an interesting American perspective to the store. “It’s a fresh, offbeat vision of an American with a French lifestyle,” Coquelet says. “It also has a wink of humor that is part of the DNA of Monoprix.”

This is also an opportunity for Monoprix to develop some brand recognition among American consumers, who might gravitate toward the brand the next time they’re on vacation in France. The Monoprix capsule will be available on Clare V.’s website, along with in all of its stores. And for Vivier, this collaboration is likely to mean even more growth in the years to come. “The brand still has a long way to go,” she says.