This is the perfect summer capsule according to a Parisian style expert

(Image credit: 2021 Edward Berthelot)

Few know timeless fashion means quite like Chloé Harrouche, Parisian style influencer and founder/creative director of cult womenswear label Loulou Studio.

In her personal style as well as her collections, the entrepreneur focuses on elevated basics and classics with a twist - think silk t-shirt dresses, cashmere knits and loose tailoring.

So who better to tell us how to build a wardrobe that we'll wear for seasons to come? Here, Chloé talks her through her business and shares her favourite summer pieces.

What inspired you to start Loulou?

Loulou Studio was born from a need to create timeless pieces, basics with a twist, the perfect piece to mix with strong pieces of the moment. I imagined clothes for women in which you feel good and strong.

Were there any challenges jumping from your career as an influencer to a businesswoman?

There were a lot of challenges, I knew that people were expecting a lot from me, that if I were to launch my own label, it shouldn’t be just another influencer brand and that I had to have something to say.

I felt like the expectations were higher. Especially because working with established and high quality brands, I wanted to keep this credibility. It was very important for me to do something that followed my editorial line and that I love.

Is social media a big part of your brand?

I think social media is a big part of brands today but it can’t be just that. Even though the power of images has taken considerable importance, we must not forget that the key factor is the product. Anyway, it remains a very good tool to communicate with our community in a more direct and interactive way.

Is the label an extension of your personal style?

Absolutely, otherwise it wouldn’t exist. I wanted something that looks like me, basics that aren’t so basic and something that looks simple but isn’t.

What items should we be investing in for the perfect summer capsule?

The MAMUTIK dress is perfect for everyday life but dressy enough to wear in the evening. Between the comfort of the T-shirt dress and the elegance of silk, it creates a chic silhouette while remaining comfortable.

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<a href="https://louloustudio.fr/en/home/2197-mamutik-satin-dress.html" data-link-merchant="louloustudio.fr"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">MAMUTIK Satin Dress, €298 at Loulou Studio

I also love to combine the BAMBO linen jacket with the BANGGI linen Bermuda shorts. This look is perfect for summer: the lightness of the linen, the elastic on the waist of the Bermuda shorts, the oversized cut of the blazer, all while being chic.

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<a href="https://louloustudio.fr/en/home/2170-bambo-linen-blazer.html?search_query=bambo&results=5%C2%A0/" data-link-merchant="louloustudio.fr"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">BAMBO Linen Blazer, €354 at Loulou Studio

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<a href="https://louloustudio.fr/fr/home/2187-banggi-bermuda-en-lin.html#/776-taille-xs/721-couleur-ivory" data-link-merchant="louloustudio.fr"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">BANGGI Bermuda en Lin, €192 at Loulou Studio

What are your favourite looks ever from Loulou Studio?

It is hard for me to say what my favourite piece is, it’s too hard to choose just one, but I think the GAYA dress (pictured on Chloé above) looks a lot like me. It is a good mix of the brand’s codes and what I want to express with Loulou Studio.

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.