HERITAGE & ARTISANAL TRADITION
Coming from an Armenian family originally from Istanbul, that immigrated to France in the early 1980s - a family primarily made up of entrepreneurs, artisans and merchants - Laurie, the founder of the brand, was instilled very early on with an insatiable desire to create, invent, and imagine.
A very strong need to create, certainly, but not in just any way. Creating with meaning. Creating through her story, her origins, this Franco-Armenian dual culture in which she grew up, through a project that is first and foremost a matter of passion, family history, and the transmission of a genuine love for fashion, clothing, and an infinite sensitivity toward artisanal craftsmanship.
With a mother who graduated from a sewing school in Istanbul, and an uncle who ran a workshop in Paris in the 1980s, Laurie was quickly introduced to a certain artisanal dimension of fashion.
But above all, it's a matter of cultural transmission, which evokes nostalgia for Armenian knitting artisans, who at one time produced nearly half of France's sweaters in the mid-80s - a tradition that ultimately faded with globalization.
It’s the desire to revive this sweet tradition, yes - but in her own way !
By deciding to revamp the sweatshirt, an essential piece of her wardrobe, which she has always loved and worn.
The bold idea was to elevate the famous fleece sweatshirt, known for being a very casual and somewhat sporty piece, and turn it into a sophisticated, desirable piece, that is both cool and refined, with that extra Levantine soul and artisanal know-how.
Thus begins the story, with the launch of an intimate collection of five signature sweaters, handcrafted in a workshop near Paris, as a tribute to this cultural and artisanal tradition.
LA JOIE DE VIVRE
My Funny Levantine is the combination of three words that evoke a joyful ode to this Levantine heritage, an art de vivre that is both bohemian, cool, and refined. It's the desire to transmit this energy, this gentleness, this light. To celebrate the joie de vivre.
By the way, one might recognize (or not!) the famous song by Frank Sinatra "My Funny Valentine," a playful nod that sets the tone of the brand - joyful and a little quirky. In short, at My Funny Levantine, we don't take ourselves too seriously!
CASUAL REFINEMENT
Immediately recognizable for its architectural cuts, the style of My Funny Levantine is distinguished by its whimsy. An obsession with details, impeccable finishes, and bold volumes make up the DNA of the brand.
Behind each piece in the My Funny Levantine wardrobe, lies true craftsmanship. Laurie decided to team up with two exceptional partners : Aurélie, her perfectly bold stylist, and Amandine her pattern maker, who performs a meticulous artisan's work for months in her workshop, creating gathers, ruffles, and volumes that are studied to the millimeter. Meters of fabric are sewn, undone, and resewn to achieve pieces cut to perfection.
The first capsule collection, YEVA & THE GANG, consists of five signature pieces. A collection that reimagines the sweatshirt, turning it into an elegant, bohemian, and sophisticated piece, while remaining cool and comfortable. The Yeva model, the cornerstone of this capsule and more generally of the My Funny Levantine wardrobe, carries a name that evokes Laurie's Armenian grandmother and all those artisans who inspire her imagination.
