Sézane moves into menswear with Octobre Editions

French online-only contemporary womenswear brand Sézane is about to enter into menswear with Octobre Editions.

The brand, which launched its UK site last year and has caused something of a phenomenon with its limited edition monthly capsule collections, has been teasing images from the men's collection via social media.

The men's collection is due to launch by the end of the year and its social posts speak of a "Parisian address" which would suggest that Octobre Editions will also have a Sézane-style "Appartement".

L'Appartement Sézane is a showroom/connected store in Paris where customers can go to try on the full collection, which is available online, with some items offered to "take away". As well as a full range of womenswear, that includes dresses, separates, knits, denim, outwear, footwear and accessories, Sézane also offers a range of lifestyle products, including bed linen, stationery and some food products.

Its AW16 collection has had a London theme and its lifestyle products reflect this with biscuits from London bakery Biscuiteers, Creighton's chocolate and Jam from London Borough of Jam.

The menswear appears to take a similar approach to the womenswear line which offers contemporary takes on classic items. In its Instagram posts it says the collection will feature items that you have "always wanted but could never find".

The November womenswear capsule

Sézane eschews the traditional two-season approach to fashion, releasing a core collection at the start of spring and autumn and augmenting the offer with monthly capsule collections, whose releases are trailled on social media.

Popular items are often sold out in minutes and while some products are re-stocked, others will only re-appear on the site as a result of customer returns. There are no sales but pricing is very competitive for the clothes which are mostly made in Europe of high quality fabrics. In womenswear coats start at around £200 for a wool version and move up to £775 for a shearling, while tops and knits typically come in at around £75 to £85.

Sezane founder Morgane Sezalory

In an interview with The Industry last year, Sézane founder Morgane Sézalory, who founded the business in 2013 said she felt it was important the product dropped on the site was "available for immediate use", or in other words what has since become known as "see now, buy now".

For instance for November the brand has just released warmer coats, such as shearlings, and heavier knits as well as over-the-knee boots, which other retailers may have introduced in store much earlier in the season. (It's an approach that seems to work as all of the aforementioned are already sold-out, having only dropped yesterday.)

"I work in advance on each monthly collection with my team to provide a full new collection each month and according to the season. We work closely with a selection of the best workshops around the world so that we can create new product quickly to adapt to demand," she said.

Sézalory added that her approach to design was to look in her own wardrobe and those of women around her and make what they really wanted. "I’m really aware of and want to cater for all women’s needs in fashion: I’m obsessed with original designs, the quest of the most magnificent fabrics and most of all the perfect cut!"

If the men respond with half the enthusiasm as the women, she will have another great success on her hands.