Mode en Demeure, The Chic Rebellion

Exclusive interview with Clara Elfort-Louis, Mode en Demeure

Mode en Demeure was born from a shared heritage, that of Lola Melendez and Jordi Gomis, both deeply influenced by the elegance of their parents. For Lola, it was a mother who embodied the chic sophistication of the 1950s. For Jordi, a father whose presence recalled that of Tyrone Power. Initially conceived as a menswear label, the brand soon expanded into womenswear. Together, they create pieces that dress not only the body but also the intimate stories of those who wear them. For IRK Magazine, the couple opens the doors to their world. A boutique where the glamour of a bygone era still lingers, reimagined through the freedom and spirit of today.

IRK: Mode en Demeure? How did it all begin?

Lola: “Mode en Demeure was originally a menswear brand, yet it was women who came to us first,” Lola says with a smile.Indeed, whether for themselves or as gifts, women quickly showed a strong interest in the brand. “Little by little, women began to take precedence over men in our creations,” she explains.

Jordi: “From the very beginning, I drew inspiration from her, from Lola.”

Lola: “We like to take our clients out of the ordinary. The last thing we want is to dress them in the same way they’ve always been dressed.”

More than clothing, it is a way of passing on emotions, the designer explains. “Sometimes a client stands in front of the mirror and discovers a different kind of beauty within herself. Those are the moments that truly move us.”

IRK: The name of your house is intriguing. What does “Mode en Demeure” mean?

Lola: “It means fashion within the home. Originally, we wanted the boutique to include a tea room. The idea of the demeure was to create a place where people would feel comfortable, almost as if they were at home.”

For logistical reasons, the project never came to fruition, but the intention remained the same: to offer an intimate, welcoming space where clothing occupies the very heart of the home.

IRK: If you had not become fashion designers, what profession do you think you would have pursued?

Lola: “I used to be an antique dealer. I’m passionate about interior design. I even have a winter décor and a summer décor at home. We don’t dress the same way from one season to another, so why should we live in the same setting all year round?”

Jordi: “I’ve been in fashion for so long that it’s hard to imagine doing anything else. I started because I wanted to create the clothes I couldn’t find anywhere.”

For Mode en Demeure, individuality is a founding principle.

Lola laughs as she recalls a story: “My mother bought me a beautiful silk dress. One day on the metro, I came face to face with another girl wearing exactly the same one. I went home, cut the dress up, and turned it into cushions. My mother was furious!”

Ever since, she has refused conformity.

IRK: What do your clothes say about you that you never express directly?

Lola: “We’re here to bring out the very best in people. Clothing tells stories some beautiful, others frankly unhealthy.”

Jordi: “We’ve seen it all: the client who wants to outshine the bride, or the man who comes in to dress both his wife and his mistress.”

Lola: “What I love most is seeing how our clients interpret our pieces. We give them a foundation, and they write their own story on top of it.”

IRK: Does Paris influence your creations?

“Oh, absolutely,” the couple replies in unison. However, they regret the disappearance of a certain elegance.

Lola: “Parisian chic is no longer what it used to be.”

Jordi: “We’re trying to revive it, in our own way.”

Mode en Demeure embraces the desire to rekindle in Parisian women a taste for elegance, allure, and seduction.

IRK: If Mode en Demeure could stage a fashion show in a Parisian location, which one would you choose?

Jordi: “The Élysée Palace!” (laughs)

Lola then answers in a more serious tone: “The Louvre would be ideal. A place with history, with presence. That’s exactly what we look for.”

IRK: What emotions do your creations evoke in those who wear them?

Lola recalls a phone call that particularly stayed with her:

“A very high-profile woman called me to say that she was wearing one of our outfits to an event. Everyone kept coming up to her asking where her piece came from. She told me, ‘Usually, no one even says hello to me. That night, I was the event.”

This memory perfectly captures the impact of their creations: crafting silhouettes that leave no one indifferent.

IRK: What compliment or piece of feedback about your work has surprised you the most?

Lola: “When we first opened, we had a guestbook. We quickly removed it because women were writing things that were far too intimate. Clothing is never insignificant. They associated me with what they were experiencing while wearing our pieces.”

And they both agree on one thing: “Anyone who believes clothing is frivolous is mistaken.”

IRK: When you look back at your past creations, do you see more consistency or evolution?

Lola: “These are timeless garments, beyond fashion trends. We can start from one idea and end up somewhere completely different. That’s where the pleasure lies.” Here, there are no seasons and no fixed sense of time.”We create through the unexpected. That’s what keeps it exciting,” the couple says with a laugh.

IRK: What distinguishes a beautiful garment from a necessary one? What is the most unexpected element that has inspired one of your pieces?

Lola: “Depending on how it is worn, a garment can have many different lives.” The boutique is filled with reversible, double-sided, and subtly transformable pieces. For them, creating begins with observing.”We used to sit on café terraces and watch people walk by, imagining clothes for them. It’s still an exercise we love today.”

IRK: Are your creations more influenced by your current inspirations or by your lifelong obsessions?

Jordi: “Both.”

Lola: “Sometimes, all it takes is someone walking down the street to spark an idea.”

Jordi: “And sometimes, it’s an obsession that has been following us for years.”

IRK: If you stopped creating tomorrow, what would you want people to remember?

Lola: “Stopping creating? That will never happen, especially since there are so many different ways to create.”

The couple has no ambition of Mode en Demeure to endure at all costs or to leave a lasting legacy at any price.”If our clothes make people happy, that’s enough for us. See the entire editorial in issue 14 TOUCHÉ.