PARIS — Le Bon Marché is embarking on the third chapter of its own label Maison Rive Gauche.
Following a relaunch of the private label womenswear in January, the department store has enlisted illustrator and watercolorist Tatiana de Nicolay, bringing her dreamy, nature-driven aesthetic on board for its latest collaboration.
The collection brings two of de Nicolay’s hand-drawn signature prints to life. First, a reinterpretation of a navy and ecru Toile de Jouy, and a floral-stripe hybrid called “Bouquet Végétal.” The prints are applied across apparel and accessories.
The Belgian artist’s colorful aesthetic is inspired by her globe-trotting life. “My work is mainly inspired by nature. I’ve lived in Egypt, Morocco, Argentina, India — places that are so different from one another — and all of these worlds have shaped my eye,” she said. “When I draw, I’m not thinking of one specific place, but of an imagined world built from memories of everywhere I’ve lived.”
Her Toile de Jouy reflects this layered approach. Instead of the historical print of pastoral French scenes, hers features pagoda-like silhouettes, lush vegetation and delicate birds in a landscape. “It’s timeless, but we made it different. You can’t pin it to one country. It’s an imaginary world of what beauty is for me,” she said.
The second print, a tangle of flowers intersecting with geometric stripes, adds a graphic edge. “We wanted something that wasn’t in the same world as the Toile. Stripes felt right, but I wanted stripes that fall into my world of vegetation.”
The capsule translates these motifs into structured jacket-and-trouser sets, lightweight organza shirts, wide-leg trousers, dresses with fluid movement and pieces in moiré, broderie anglaise and airy summer fabrics. Accessories include silk scarves and straw hats.
For de Nicolay, maintaining a hand-drawn process was essential. “There are tiny subtleties, shadows, imperfections, that you can only get by hand drawing. They’re not perfect, and that’s the beauty,” she said.
Elements of the capsule even trace back to de Nicolay’s own hand-sewn wardrobe. When Le Bon Marché’s team scanned her social media, they pulled references from pieces she had personally constructed for special occasions. One organza dress she had made became a centerpiece of the collection, later reimagined with the new Toile de Jouy print.
“It actually started from that,” she says. “I make outfits for myself because I love it. It’s just my hobby, but they said, ‘We want this shape.’”
De Nicolay’s modern Toile de Jouy.
For Le Bon Marché, the choice to collaborate with an artist rather than a fashion designer is strategic. The store’s private label has been expanding since its relaunch earlier this year, and collaborations have become a cornerstone of the growth strategy.
“Collaborations are a genuine space for creative expression for us,” said Le Bon Marché director or women’s fashion Isabelle Fine. Her approach to growing the in-house line is both creative and commercial.
“Collaborations allow us to bring a fresh, different perspective to our collections and to explore new styles and new concepts. We want each collaboration to make sense for the store, and to also be rooted in creativity and craftsmanship.”
The retailer views collaborations as a way to reinforce its role as curator, added Fine. “This initiative highlights the enrichment of our private label through strong, singular artistic worlds,” she said. “We meet people, we connect, and that’s where the stories begin. With Tatiana, we were touched by her multicultural inspirations, her sensitivity, her connection to nature, and by her modern, fresh approach [to prints].”
The business rationale extends beyond aesthetics. In a saturated luxury market, department stores increasingly rely on differentiated in-house lines to build customer loyalty, capture higher margins and create unique storytelling.
Le Bon Marché’s approach positions the collaborations as cultural moments, such as the kickoff collaboration with Tagwalk founder Alexandra Van Houtte that featured an expanded size range.
A self-described maximalist, de Nicolay’s collection also marks the move away from seasons of “quiet luxury.”
“It’s the perfect timing to have these type of prints and a lot of color.,” said Fine. “People need happiness and joy, and that is in the collection. It’s very joyful.”
Fine emphasized the importance of highlighting craftsmanship, as well as the hand drawing and material quality, noting that part of the collection uses upcycled materials from Nona Source. “Quality and attention to materials are essential for us,” she said. “The creative and craft aspects behind a collaboration like this really matter.”
The store will dedicate a prominent space to the collection, including a wall installation featuring de Nicolay’s prints to build an immersive shop. “We will highlight the collaboration in a special location within the private-label area,” Fine says. “It will create a world for the print.”
De Nicolay will also design the scenography for the Christie’s auction of clothing and objects from Mathilde Favier, Dior’s director of public relations. That sale will take place from Jan. 26 to Feb. 4.
The Le Bon Marché collaboration for spring 2026 will arrive in store in February.
