Sézane… Is it worth the hype?
So this is a question I’m asked every single time I wear an item from French retailer, Sezane. I thought I’d do a post to go through what I’ve had from them, what’s been good and what’s not. It’s a completely honest review - I’ve not been gifted anything by them, it’s all my own stuff. With the recent launch of their London Marylebone store, I thought it would be an excellent time to write this all down…
so, what is Sezane?
Put simply, it’s a French womenswear brand (they also have a menswear company, Octobre, just a hint) made to give girls around the world an opportunity to attempt to dress like a Parisian woman. Obviously we all fail miserably because there is some secret to it that no person without French heritage can exude - but hey, Sezane is a solid place to start.
what are their hero products?
I think it’s clear when a brand has an “essentials” section that their are some rather iconic pieces (check it out here). But I’ll try and summarise:
The Betty cardigan as I am wearing above in navy is a beautiful piece. You can wear it open as a cardigan or done up like a knit. It comes in an array of colours, and some have added details (like the navy has crochet detail on the seams).
Their knitwear across the board is strong (so much so there was a 2 hour queue for the knitwear alone at the opening of the London Marylebone store) but look at the fabric first as some of their fluffier ones can be quite itchy. The Gaspard is a classic and is lovely, here.
The Piana dress is a cult classic and known to flatter every shape. Personally I love the Harper, Janet and Enola styles. Check out the range here.
Their tees fit me really nicely. I’m really fussy with my necklines and find they are high enough to sit well under blazers and jumpers and smart enough for work as well as play. The Andre tee is their classic one, which comes in a range of colours here.
The handbag range is slowly developing into having a cult following of its own, with styles like the Milo bag and the Farrow barrel bag trading on pre-owned platforms for double their value.
The infamous Will jacket is on everyone’s list, I say no more.
They’ve done a shirt called the Tomboy (as I am wearing in below pictures) which they’ve had since the beginning and it’s one of those that once you own you spot on other people and it’s like a secret club where you acknowledge each other. Seriously. See them here.
If you can get your hands on it, the Chloe shirt is owned by any self respecting Parisian woman, here.
what are their pricings like?
Personally, I think it’s reasonable. The only time I’ve ever been let down was with knitwear where the fabric just wasn’t soft enough and I itched a lot. But even then the customer service was great (unheard of for a French brand, I say that having worked for one) and they returned it without question. I’m pretty rough to my clothes, I hot wash and I tumble more than I should and my Sezane pieces last. I’ve shrunk one jumper, but that was my fault.
what is the quality like?
Kind of the same response as the pricing question… Aside from one mishap I’ve been impressed. Their denim is weighty, their cottons are crisp and sharp. I can’t really knock them. The bags are incredibly well made, rivalling other French heavyweights like APC and Celine with very similar silhouettes.
what are the sizings like?
Much like any French brand, I find it comes up small when tailoring is involved. But most importantly, if you’re shopping at Sezane you’re probably going after that Parisian chic look and the secret (according to a French friend of mine) is to always go a size up in shirts and tees. It actually works, so even with “boyfriend” fit shirts from the brand I always go a size up.
For fitted dresses, trousers and blazers definitely account for the fact that French sizing comes up small (unless otherwise stated on their website). So whereas a 36 should be an 8, and 42 a 14 - maybe consider going one size larger. With the exception of knitwear, that I’d say comes up big - so go down a size.
For their clothes that are S/M/L I take my usual size bracket and it fits. Shoe sizes are classic European, and to size. Do remember that their customer service is excellent should you need another size.
what are your favourite things?
I do have some amazing pieces. A few don’t exist anymore, like an incredible gold silk skirt I bought in 2017 for example, and a couple of maxi dresses (they do these very well in Spring time and they sell out quick).
But from their classic ranges my favourites obviously include their Marinieres (Breton shirts), the Collette is brilliant. I have two, one very large one so I can wear collared shirts underneath and one in my usual size. Sezane’s stripes are great across the board; the Leontine jumper is one you’ll have seen a great deal on social media and for good reason. It’s light enough for summer but warm enough to be layered in winter. See also the James - always sold out but if you’re lucky enough to catch one of the odd ones that come back in, I salute you.
Other pieces I love from them include my Will jacket (comes in a range of colours, I have the green and really want the denim). Of course there’s my Tomboy shirt - I’d have them in every colour if I could afford it… And then I have a few classic shape knitwear pieces from them (the Gaspard cardigan/jumper is one, so many ways to wear it) which I’ve had for years and are still going strong.
And last but not least, my travel pouches. I don’t think enough is said about Sezane’s fabric accessories. They’re so good, quality is great. I use mine all the time, they’re great as laundry bags, gym bags, travel bags… and I buy them for friends a lot. They’re great for people who have everything. Check out the whole range here.
anything else we should know?
They often send gifts with purchase. Not to try and over tempt you, but they’re often really good. I’ve had bags and pouches from them that are often better than what ever I’ve spent the money on. Oh and things sell out fast, and are done in small runs so often don’t come back. Check out their full website here.
