Ale et Ange

ALE ET ANGE ( PRONOUNCED AH-LAY-AY-AN-J) WAS FOUNDED BY ELOISE SIMONET AND OSORE OYAGHA. THE LABEL’S DESIGN PRINCIPLE – A SEAMLESS FUSION OF CLASSIC CUTS WITH UNIQUELY SOURCED FABRICS – LITERALLY TRANSLATES TO FORM AND FUNCTIONALITY FROM AN ORIGINAL-MINDED POINT OF VIEW. WITH YEARS OF DESIGN AND FASHION PRACTICE BETWEEN THEM, THE PAIR HAS THE LUXURY OF CHALLENGING THE NORM THANKS TO A SOLID EXPERIENTIAL FOUNDATION.

SIMONET HAILS FROM JAMAICAN AND FRENCH ROOTS. HER INSPIRATION CAN BE TRACED BACK TO HER PARENTS, TO HOW THEY DRESSED AND APPLIED THEIR AESTHETIC TO LIFESTYLE CHOICES WHILE LIVING IN NEGRIL. SHE FOUND HERSELF BEHIND A SEWING MACHINE BY AGE 11, ENCOURAGED BY HER MOTHER- WHO AT THE TIME WAS ALSO A FASHION DESIGNER. SIMONET HAS BEEN HONING HER VISION EVER SINCE.

BORN IN WEST LONDON TO NIGERIAN PARENTS, OYAGHA TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY THROUGH- EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA, SOUTH AMERICA, AUSTRALIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST- OWING TO HIS FATHER’S DIPLOMATIC POST. AS A CHILD HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN FACTORIES WITH HIS MOTHER-WHO HAPPENS TO BE A FABRIC DESIGNER. HE LANDED IN NEW YORK IN THE 90'S AND MET SIMONET A FEW YEARS LATER. THEY FOUND THEY SHARED A LIKE-MINDED PENCHANT FOR CLASSIC, DETAILED DESIGN WITH A HAND-MADE COMPONENT.

ALE ET ANGE- IS A COMBINATION OF OYAGHA AND SIMONET’S MIDDLE NAMES – THE 2-YEAR-OLD POP-UP STORE AT 40 RIVINGTON IS NOT ONLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD’S BEST KEPT SECRET, IT’S A KIND OF ARTISANAL PANDORA’S BOX OF GARMENTS, RECORDS, BOOKS, PHOTOGRAPHS, TIES AND A LINE OF SPECIALTY CAPS. THE FEEL OF A 19TH CENTURY BOUTIQUE CATERING TO A BYGONE ERA OF DESIGN IS STILL EVER PRESENT. WOOD FLOORING, A MOLDED TIN CEILING AND AN OVERALL ATMOSPHERE OF HEARTHSIDE ELEGANCE DEFINE THE MOOD. ALL OF WHICH IS TO SAY THAT THE BRAND IS REFLECTIVE OF A LIFESTYLE THAT SUPERSEDES THE TREND CAROUSEL BECAUSE IT IS GROUNDED IN AUTHENTICITY, WEARABILITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP ABOVE ALL.