The Brand history
In the Light of a Unique Family
Alexandra and Olivia grew up in the Batignolles neighborhood of Paris. Their father, with a "So British" style yet American, was born in Philadelphia and moved to England at the age of 7 on the Queen Mary. It was in London that he met their mother, a Parisian on vacation.
Alexandra, Olivia, and their younger sister Victoria return to the United States every summer to their family home in Massachusetts, on Cape Cod beach. It's the postcard of their childhood, reminiscent of an Edward Hopper painting.
The girls grow up, and at the age of 16, Alexandra leaves Paris to complete her high school education at the French Lycée in New York. She studies anthropology and art history, then returns to Paris to work in advertising and photojournalism. While on vacation in Palma de Mallorca, Alexandra falls in love with a Spaniard and decides to settle there. However, this adopted "frenchie," a bit hyperactive and a "fan of fashion, shopping, and decor," returns to Brittany every summer to the Emerald Coast in Saint Lunaire with her... 6 children!
On the other hand, Olivia, a graduate of a business school, starts her career in New York at Bloomingdale's and then returns to France to work for major brands and retailers for nearly 15 years - always in the textile industry - as a product manager, buyer, group leader, and collection director. As passionate about travel as her sister, Olivia becomes a mother herself while flourishing in the world of stylists and buyers.
Lison Paris: A Growing Swimwear Brand
In 2015, Alex is dismayed by the lack of "really cute and high-end" swimsuits for her daughters. She suggests to Olivia the idea of creating their own brand, their brand, and the idea starts to take shape.
Alexandra envisions her first pieces: she designs, conceptualizes, and manufactures panties and bandeaus "like when we were little." Olivia provides her with some business advice.
Then everything happens very quickly:
- July 14, 2015: the sisters launch the first Lison Paris collection and decide to present it at the Club 55 in Saint Tropez, sending India - Alexandra's daughter - to be the model. The Club 55 is impressed by their approach, and the brand is a success: all the Lison Paris swimsuits quickly sell out. Even Beyoncé falls for them and buys some for her daughter.
- 2016: Lison Paris participates in its first Playtime trade show, and Smallable and Melijoe are captivated by the collection.
- Things accelerate: press coverage, then Le Bon Marché, the United States, and a significant international growth begins.
- 2018: the range expands to include swimsuits for girls, teenagers, and boys.
- 2021: the launch of a women's swimwear collection and the opening of the first Lison Paris boutique in the heart of the City of Light, at 19 Rue Molière in the 1st arrondissement (Palais Royal).
- 2023: Lison Paris flies off to luxurious, exclusive destinations. Our collections can be found in the finest hotels: Six Senses, Cheval Blanc, Groupe Sibuet, Groupe Paris Society, Club Med, Viceroy Hotels and Resorts, and many more.
Lison Paris Reinvents Itself with Each Collection
The materials evolve, with increasingly eco-responsible but also innovative European fabrics, prints inspired by the Indian block print tradition, graphics and colors reimagined by our creators, sleek lines, couture-like finishes, handmade craftsmanship, a clever blend of comfort, vibrancy, and elegance, an irresistible and luminous palette of iconic colors, head-turning creations, breathtaking ruffles... always with the same commitment to excellence.
Family Know-How and Business
Alex admits to having "learned a lot from Olivia: discipline, attention to detail," while Olivia rejoices in "finding that touch of madness in the work."
Both of them admit to feeling a thrill when they see their swimsuits being worn.
Together, Alexandra and Olivia always strive for more, for something more beautiful, united by this slightly crazy commitment. They are two sparkling and inspiring sisters who have become "telepathic in their work," each in her own way.
This is the story of Lison Paris.