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Founder of Merci Alfred – the Parisian must-read and the boutique brand Loom, Guillaume Declair sat down with L’Exception to chat about his rise to success, what goes on behind the scenes and his vision for the future of fashion…
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Tell us a little bit about yourself. What did you study, and how did you kick-start your professional career? 

I had two dream jobs: being a journalist or an entrepreneur. I started off as a consultant, but it didn’t feel like a was reaching my full potential. When I developed Merci Alfred I was at a crossroads.

Have you always had an entrepreneurial spirit? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? And the next 10?

I think I’ve always been like this: I like to start things from scratch, whether that’s DIY, cooking, writing or creating projects. As soon as you get a taste for being an entrepreneur, there’s no going back. I never really look further than 6 months ahead, so for the next ten, I’ll leave it up to fate…
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"I like to start things from scratch, whether that’s DIY, cooking, writing or creating projects. As soon as you get a taste for being an entrepreneur, there’s no going back"
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Tell us how Merci Alfred and Loom came about?  

Merci Alfred started off as a newsletter for MyLittleParis. In general, we were writing about good places to take your girlfriend out in Paris. That doesn’t really resemble much of what we do today. We’ve become a media outlet with a curious mind – exploring themes like education and politics – but also the lighter side of life, too.
Loom was launched as a collective side project and born from frustration – we never really understood why the quality and price of the stuff we wore never seemed to match up. We decided to change that.
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"Concerning our prices, we didn’t want our products to only be accessible to the urban elite, so our margins are very small to ensure our products are accessible to the majority."
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Right now, you cater mainly to a male audience. Do you think that will change to include women in the future?  

Historically our readership is largely male, but we’re really happy to see more and more women following us, too.

Les topos: Your topical debate section – where did the idea come from?

We were first introduced to it via an amazing American blog called Wait But Why that used this method to break down complex subjects with an everyman sense of understanding. We decided to put our own spin on it with subjects important to us, like education or happiness.
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Tell us more about Loom? How and why did you decide to create it?  

As I previously mentioned, the idea for Loom came from a personal frustration based on the disparity between price and quality of products. You can spend €200 on a shirt and still never be quite sure what you’re really getting for your money. When trying to investigate what makes a luxury product, we were shocked at how little attention is paid to quality. Therefore, we decided to shake things up and start creating a range of products that are made to last – and encourage people to start changing how they spend their money.

You don’t use marketing, instead, you explain online how each piece is made – and sell at fair price points… Loom is a bit of a rarity in the fashion sector!

We don’t come from a fashion background, which would explain why our approach is so different from other brands. Concerning our prices, we didn’t want our products to only be accessible to the urban elite, so our margins are very small to ensure our products are accessible to the majority – not the minority.

Are there any particular brands you find inspiring?

The brand that inspires us the most is Patagonia. It’s more than just a clothing line, it’s a philosophy. Its entire brand strategy is created around the environment, a consistent theme since 1972. Everyone should read, "Let my people go surfing" an autobiography of the brand’s founder.

What does the future for Loom look like?

We’d like to be the go-to brand for men looking for high-quality clothing. To do that, we need to create a comprehensive range – which is what we’re up to, now. We’ll be launching some new products in the future, but we’ll also be continuing to showcase more than just what goes on in the textile industry.

Who are your favourite designers?

I’m really interested in the brand ‘Les Récupérables’ who recycle interior fabrics like tablecloths and curtains to create unique pieces! It’s a really nice spin on upcycling. I also like Zero Waste Daniel, a brand that creates clothing from factory offcuts.
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What are your wardrobe must-haves? Do you have any advice on failsafe dressing for any occasion?

Chinos and Shirt. In general, I don’t spend ages thinking about what to wear. My secret is to only invest in high-quality clothing. I don’t have a lot in my wardrobe, but I can pretty much get dressed in the dark. That’s what Loom is all about, minimalist collections of the highest quality.

We love the Loom merino wool jumper - if you had to choose one piece, which one would it be?

I think I’d choose the merino wool jumper, too. The one thing we wanted to avoid at all costs was bobbling. After a lot of prototypes, I think we’ve finally nailed it! A little hint, if you like this jumper, just wait until Xmas...
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