Parisian Style: Fashion-forward services and consulting in Provence

The Parisian Style brand chose Marseille and the Marseille Innovation business incubator at Château Gombert as a base to develop its fashion makeover and personal shopping company. After all, the craze for consulting services relating to fashion and the latest trends is not limited to the capital city. Provence is home to talented fashion designers and lots of shops that are more than capable of responding to the various demands and ambitions of its clientele. The Aix-Marseilles-Provence region has evolved dramatically in the last few years, making it an irresistible destination for Sylvie Grézaud, who received assistance from Provence Promotion to set up her business. This daring entrepreneur with marketing expertise in the realms of luxury brands and major corporations talked with us about her prospects for growth in Provence and her fashion, wellness and training projects.

The Parisian Style brand was created in Paris in 2012 by Sylvie Grézaud, an entrepreneur who took an unusual career path. She started off in musicology and dance, then went to business school (ESSCA) and worked for 10 years in marketing and sales management for the food industry. She later studied  fashion to launch her own company.

Her concept is to create a unique fashion and personal image experience for her clients. The famous "French touch" is essential to her business. She still earns most of her income in Paris, but since she moved her company to Provence in May 2016, she will be able to diversify and offer new services, including Provence Shopping tours that focus on fashion, lifestyle and local traditions. "Culture and fashion have a common language. What I'm finding here is an uninhibited approach to fashion with multi-ethnic and Mediterranean influences, which are right on trend," says Sylvie Grézaud.

She is part of a group of entrepreneurs who were not afraid to relocate. "Moving to the south is a great opportunity for me. Thanks to the TGV and the Marseille-Provence airport, it's easy for me to keep my most loyal customers in Paris while going after new clients attracted to the sunny reputation of Provence. I'm also close to the French Riviera, an area I know well because I work there regularly."

Settling in and searching for partnerships

Sylvie Grézaud became aware of the region's great potential after meeting with Provence Promotion at the Entrepreneurs convention in November 2015. MuCEM, the Intercontinental and Terrasses du Port are just some of the selling points that persuaded her to make the move to Marseille. The entrepreneur received comprehensive business creation support to form IMELYS, the legal entity that owns her brands, including Parisian Style. Thanks to Provence Promotion, she received an Initiative Marseille Métropole loan and was able to easily connect with the fashion ecosystem in Provence.

Her next goal is to grow her customer base by developing partnerships in the south of France (tour operators, luxury hotels, designer stores, trendy boutiques, major shopping malls, etc.). IMELYS is already planning to spawn other brands. In addition to the Parisian Style website, which will soon unveil a new look, two other websites are in the pipeline. There will be a high-end site targeting French and foreign luxury shoppers and a site that covers high-profile events and happenings. This approach creates a sound structure to organize offers designed for different audiences. Working under the Imelys name, Sylvie Grézaud just registered the Les Féetardes brand and will soon debut a third brand to will round out her business portfolio.