The French label rose to fame in the 1980s and 90s with fans including Janet Jackson and Michael Jordan – now it’s back in the spotlight
If you’re up to date on the latest fashion trends, there’s a chance you’ve heard names like Matin Kim and Mardi Mercredi. Fashionistas these days can often be found wearing a Matin Kim tank top, or a T-shirt and cap adorned with Mardi Mercredi’s signature flower. Both are Korean brands – yet you might not be able to tell if you were to walk into one of their stores for the first time, or heard their names in passing – both are derived from French (“matin” meaning morning, and “mardi mercredi” referring to days of the week, Tuesday and Wednesday).
You may also be familiar with Marithé + François Girbaud. Named after its founders – Marithé Bachellerie and François Girbaud – the brand was first launched in 1972 (though the partnership dates back to 1964). The original company filed for bankruptcy in 2012 and went quiet for several years before the brand name was revitalised in 2019 by a South Korean company, Layer, which acquired the label’s licensing rights in the country.
Marithé + François Girbaud’s unmistakably French logo – complete with the word Paris at the bottom – is now just as likely to be found on the streets of Asian cities as it is across Europe. So what’s the story behind the label’s big comeback? We break down how Layer completely rebranded Marithé + François Girbaud for a new generation of consumers, why the Korean distributors behind Matin Kim and Mardi Mercredi later got involved, and how these cult brands have taken off so quickly, with a growing number of stores in Hong Kong and beyond.
