You only need this one pair of jeans in your life, according to this Parisian designer

Jeanne Damas
(Image credit: Jeanne Damas)

We can all agree that Parisian women have nailed the capsule wardrobe of basics that will make you look chic no matter the season. So if a Paris-born fashion influencer-turned-designer tells us that all we need is one particular pair of jeans to nail that style, I'm all ears.

Jeanne Damas, founder of Rouje, a vintage-inspired French fashion brand, shares her ultimate denim tips with me.

What makes the perfect flattering pair of jeans?

It really depends on your body type and personal taste. For me I like it when the jeans are high waisted, or simply straight cut, I take them a size bigger to have a more boyfriend style of look.

What is your favourite pair of jeans?

Right now, I wear a lot our Germain jeans - it's our classic straight fit. Perfect for night and day!

What key denim styles do your customers love?

At Rouje we have a true obsession with denim. We are all women in our design studio with different ages and body shapes. It's part of our creative process that we all try the jeans to find the most comfortable and flattering shape. I think this is something our clients feel, the love and attention we pay to the details. I would say that the Germain style is our most popular one - we keep bringing it back season after season.

Do you take a sustainable approach to your denim?

Consciousness is something very important for us and we are constantly focusing on progressing. For our indigo denim for example we use a fabric which uses a blend of recycled cotton and 50% organic cotton.

Who's your denim icon from history?

Lauren Hutton is definitely is always an inspiration. I love her looks from the 70s. But still today, she really is luminous and I love the way she embraces her age.

Top tips for keeping your denim looking fresh?

Wash them inside out maybe ? But in general I like it when denim looks lived in.

How would you style your denim this season?

My style hasn't really changed since my teen years; Denim is part of my daily uniform. I like to wear them with a cashmere sweater which I choose one size bigger, ankle boots and a men's jacket like the Jacques from Rouje.

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.