Launch of the AH 2020 Burton of London Collection

Last July, Cartis had the pleasure of making its MGA available for the shooting session of the new Autumn-Winter collection of Burton of London orchestrated by the Jean-Marc Fellous agency and the teams of the brand. On this occasion, I had the privilege to discuss with Anne-Laure Couplet about her ambition for the brand and her collaboration with Cartis Classic Car Expérience. A true retail and textile specialist, she has a taste for challenge and is passionate about development and innovation. She is currently Managing Director of Burton of London.

Hello Anne Laure, thank you very much for this exchange & for your collaboration with Cartis Classic Car Experience on this Autumn - Winter 2020 collection from Burton of London. Can you tell us about your career path?

 I'm 46 years old, married and have two 18-year-old boys. From an entrepreneurial family in the textile industry, I studied international business and started to work in ready-to-wear clothing as soon as I finished my studies. I have more than 20 years of experience in retail, lingerie, ready-to-wear and home wear. I worked in the lingerie world for 9 years as a buyer and purchasing manager. First in mass distribution at Carrefour and Système U, then for the Daniel Hechter and Armor Lux brands.  I travelled the world to buy the best product at the best price, delivered in the shortest time. 

My career has also been very much influenced by textiles.  I spent 7 years in ready-to-wear with brands such as Jennyfer and Tati. I have redesigned brand platforms, developed collections and increased market share. At Jennyfer, I set up a trading desk in Hong Kong that managed over €30M in purchases and participated in the launch of Jennyfer.com. At Tati, my mission was to restore the brand's credibility in the midst of a turnaround and I developed capsule collections with Chantal Thomass, Cristina Cordula and Miss Agnes.

My last experience was in the world of the house at Maisons du Monde. Maisons du Monde is a listed company with a turnover of more than 1 billion euros. I held the position of CEO in charge of the brand, with responsibility for artistic direction, supply chain, communication and merchandising. One of my challenges was to develop the brand internationally. I opened the first American store in Miami on December 6th after contributing to the M&A of an American company, Modani. I also launched a new concept store, launched the first MDM hotel in Nantes, and increased sales by 23% between 2016 and 2018.

The new Autumn - Winter 2020 collection from Burton of London is superb! What was the inspiration for it? What does it mean to you and who is it for?

This season Burton is banking on timeless pieces from the English wardrobe. Our Must Haves are reinventing themselves and adorning themselves with bold details that make a difference. This season, more than ever, the Burton of London style is about being and staying true to its time. A wardrobe for all occasions, tailoring, casual, urban, sport chic.

At Cartis, we are pleased to participate in the communication of Burton of London on this new Autumn - Winter 2020 collection. Can you tell us why you chose our black MGA model from 1962?

The black MGA is like the Burton of London brand, the English audacity that twists its classics.

This collection is part of Burton of London's more global ambition with its customers. What is it?

Burton was born from the visionary genius of Sir Montague Burton, official supplier to the English army, who had the crazy ambition to change fashion and the world, by democratizing costume in England. Burton of London is the will to liberate fashion in all its forms by reinterpreting the icons of the English wardrobe. It's English classicism dishevelled by clever touches of impertinence and audacity.

What is Burton's next appointment with his clients?

Appointment from August 15th to discover this collection in our 124 stores all over France.

One last question: would you recommend the Cartis Classic Car Experience? Why would you recommend it?

A BIG YES!

A team of professionals, cars that make you dream, an à la carte service...

100% customer satisfaction oriented

A big THANK YOU to Anne-Laure, for agreeing to answer my questions and to her teams for the confidence you have shown in us.