Gabrielle Paris: French Sophistication Meets Family Living

When Julie Sauvage founded Gabrielle Paris in 2016, she named it after her grandmother—a woman who embodied effortless elegance and modern sensibility. "She was very elegant, she was really a modern woman and current with the times," Sauvage explains. "So it corresponded with what I wanted to do for Gabrielle [Paris]."

The name carries additional meaning too. It references other remarkable women named Gabrielle—Chanel, Colette—and works beautifully across languages. But beyond the personal branding, what makes Gabrielle Paris distinctive is Sauvage's fundamental approach to design: she makes what she loves.

From Product Manager to Founder

After years as a product manager in the textile industry, Sauvage shifted her entire philosophy when launching her own brand. "Before, my job was to make what my clients would like. Today I work in a completely different way—I really do what I love," she says. "Of course I pay close attention to being different from my direct competitors, but my approach is very spontaneous. I simply do what I love."

This authenticity resonates. Customers consistently tell Sauvage they recognize Gabrielle Paris pieces immediately, that the style is singular and unmistakable. It's a timeless aesthetic with a contemporary edge—furniture and textiles designed to evolve with your family over time, moving from room to room as needs change.

Building a Complete Home Collection

Gabrielle Paris started with linens—bed sheets, table linens, cushions, and an immediate children's collection—but Sauvage always had bigger plans. "In my business plan, I mentioned that my objective was to become a global decoration concept," she explains. Once the textile range was established, the natural next step was furniture.

The Lou Console exemplifies this expansion—sculptural pieces that bring the same thoughtful material choices and organic forms found in the textiles into three-dimensional furniture. The development process involved extensive research (Sauvage calls it "pigging"—spending hours on Pinterest, in magazines, gathering inspiration) combined with collaboration with Portuguese designer Tony Grillo, who helped make her vision technically feasible.

The Georges Modular Sofa was born from practical needs during photo shoots. "It was really the piece we were missing each time because you can't buy a new sofa for every shoot," Sauvage laughs. The brief was clear: create furniture that works indoors and outdoors, that can be reconfigured, that's built to last. The result is furniture with solid wood bases that can transition from your living room to your terrace when the weather's nice.

The Art of Pattern Mixing

One of Gabrielle Paris's most appealing qualities is how pieces work together without looking like matching sets. Sauvage has an intuitive gift for mixing patterns—bold stripes with sculptural forms, textured weaves with smooth finishes—while keeping everything cohesive through carefully chosen color palettes.

"I really love mixing prints together, stripes, solids," she says. "Honestly, there are no rules." The key is that Gabrielle Paris's color universe is singular enough that patterns naturally complement each other. You can add one piece now, another in six months, and they'll look like they've always belonged together.

For bed styling—a Gabrielle Paris signature—Sauvage recommends starting with two square pillows and two rectangular ones. "That's really the key," she says. Mix patterned pillowcases with solids or stripes, keeping them in the same color family. And invest in quality pillows with proper fill—it makes all the difference.

Sustainability from Day One

When Sauvage launched Gabrielle Paris, she had the advantage of starting with a blank page. "My idea was really to do things well, right away," she explains. From the beginning, she worked with suppliers and workshops that held SMETA, GOTS, and OEKO-TEX certifications—rigorous standards for both environmental and human working conditions.

The Lazare Pouf, like much of the collection, is made to order and ships from Portugal, reflecting the brand's commitment to working with the best craftspeople regardless of location. "We really go look for the know-how where it is," Sauvage says.

Ninety-seven percent of Gabrielle Paris collections use natural fibers, with a heavy emphasis on linen. "It's an eco-responsible textile because it doesn't consume water—only rain is enough for it to grow," Sauvage explains. "It's thermoregulating, very pleasant in summer because it's anti-perspirant, and it warms you in winter. And it's hypoallergenic."

The brand also gives second life to fabric scraps, using them for pouches, furoshiki gift wrap, and scrunchies. Nothing goes to waste.

The French Art of Living Well

At its core, Gabrielle Paris is about making beautiful things livable. The furniture is designed for families who don't want to worry about wine spills or dog paws on the sofa. The textiles are washable, durable, meant to be used daily rather than saved for special occasions.

"Our products are really conceived to last, to be truly durable," Sauvage emphasizes. "The idea is that they can evolve in the home. We know very well that a cushion you've had under your nose for three years, you want to put it somewhere else after those three years."

It's that distinctly Parisian ability to make thoughtful curation look effortless—where nothing announces itself as coordinated, but everything just works. After seven years, Gabrielle Paris has grown from Sauvage's solo venture to a team effort with her business partner Justine, 220 retail locations in France, and 150 internationally. The collection continues to expand thoughtfully, season by season, always guided by what Sauvage genuinely loves.

As she puts it: "For me, work is really a true pleasure. It's not at all, at all a constraint. I love it."