Welcome back to The Scoop. I hope you took it so easy this summer that you’re actually excited to start layering up for the fall shows. If you’re new here, this is a weekly email series where I ask fashion insiders about the stories shaping the week.
This week, we’re joined by Charlotte Gaucher-Holmann, CEO of Repetto, a Parisian brand that has been making ballet flats since 1947. The company was founded by Rose Repetto, who was inspired to create a dancer’s shoe for everyday walking by her son, choreographer Roland Petit. He often complained about sore feet after ballet class. The brand became hugely popular in the mid-20th century with its Cendrillon ballet flat, and its muses and customers included Brigitte Bardot, Rudolf Nureyev, and Serge Gainsbourg.
Charlotte took over the company from her father, Jean-Marc Gaucher, after he passed away in 2023. Jean-Marc bought the struggling company in 1999 and turned its signature ballerina shoe into a must-have for anyone wanting to look effortlessly cool or Parisian. He did this through collaborations with fashion designers like Issey Miyake, Comme des Garçons, and Yohji Yamamoto, who is the focus of today’s scoop.
Hi Charlotte, what’s the scoop?
We have a collaboration with Yohji Yamamoto launching on September 14. I have a lot of respect and admiration for Yohji Yamamoto because he built his brand independently and has kept it going for over 50 years, with a strong commitment to creativity, craftsmanship, discipline, and also freedom. These are values we share because Repetto is also a family-run business, and our focus is dance, which requires both discipline and a rebellious spirit. I’m really happy with how the collaboration turned out—it feels unexpected but also very true to both of our brands.
The Repetto and Yohji Yamamoto collaboration will launch on September 14.
Photo: Courtesy of Charlotte Gaucher-Holmann
There’s a new wave of Japanese influence in Paris… How did this collaboration come about?
We first worked together in 2002, so the lines of communication between our houses have been open since then. We’ve been waiting for the right moment to create something together again. Japan is also a key market for Repetto.
Did you get to meet Yohji? He’s hard to reach.
I didn’t have the chance to meet him in person. But I know his team really well. He has such a unique way of working closely with his team that it felt like we were communicating with him indirectly. Yohji was really interested in the world of dance and found inspiration in pointe shoes. Then he came up with the ideas and the design—you can’t really dictate to him, and that wasn’t the point of this collaboration.
I think he has a very distinct point of view, and if you look at the shoe designs, they’re a bit bold for Repetto. But you know, the brand has always been embraced by rebellious figures since the days of Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot. It helped us keep that creative tension alive.
Inside the design process for the Repetto and Yohji Yamamoto ballet flats collaboration.
Photo: Courtesy of Charlotte Gaucher-Holmann
Speaking of Serge Gainsbourg, a few months ago I came across an Instagram Reel that traced the soft leather lace-ups that Michael Rider’s last two Celine shows made so popular this summer, back to the Repetto Zizi worn by Gainsbourg in the ’70s. Are you seeing a bump in Zizi sales?
Absolutely. It’s been a little crazy for the past eight months or so. We’re seeing amazing growth, and it’s wonderful. That shoe was originally created for Zizi Jeanmaire, a famous ballet dancer who was married to choreographer Roland Petit, the son of Rose Repetto. The Zizi was later adopted by Serge Gainsbourg. It’s an iconic shoe because of its construction, softness, and very distinctive silhouette, and it has influenced fashion, but music as well.
Ballet flats, the most ubiquitous shoe silhouette of the last few years, are your bread and butter. AmAm I right in thinking that Repetto is seeing renewed interest in the brand overall?
Yes, that’s true. Our ballerinas are definitely the icon of the brand—it’s a silhouette Rose Repetto created to mimic the shoes worn by ballet dancers. But we’re also seeing interest in our Oxford shoes, which are another popular style right now. At the end of the day, all the silhouettes complement each other, and I’m very happy to see a new generation discovering Repetto.
What is your best-selling silhouette?
The Cendrillon, which is the classic ballet flat. The Camille, our heeled ballerina, comes in second, and the Zizi is growing incredibly fast.
This spring you announced your partnership with Kaia Gerber, who is also Vogue’s September cover star. But I’ve noticed she also wears Repetto shoes a lot in paparazzi photos. How do you choose your influencers?
When it comes to Kaia, we really chose each other in a way—it’s a very genuine relationship. Kaia wore our shoes for years before we met and made this partnership official. It wasn’t a placement, and we don’t really work that way. We try to approach people as organically as possible.
But Kaia also has that unique look that really fits our ethos—she has an effortless femininity, and she’s also a great dancer. In March, we launched two shoe models that we created together with her. It was great to get to know her through this project—she is very talented.
You took over the company in 2023 after the passing of your father, who bought and saved a struggling Repetto back in 1999. Before you joined Repetto in 2022, you spent over 13 years at L’Oréal. What are the biggest differences in working for your family’s company as opposed to anywhere else?
My time at L’Oréal gave me rigor, discipline, and a very strong understanding of brands. But when you manage your family’s company, the level of commitment is incomparable to any other professional adventure. Every decision I make is professional and deeply personal at the same time. I feel responsible for the brand’s history, the well-being of the employees, and my family’s future. I can feel Repetto deep in my guts because it’s been in my family for over 20 years.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the topic of Charlotte GaucherHolmann discussing the Yohji Yamamoto collaboration
General Brand Insights
1 Who is Charlotte GaucherHolmann
She is the CEO of Repetto the famous French ballet shoe and footwear brand
2 What is the basic idea behind the Repetto x Yohji Yamamoto collaboration
Its a meeting of two iconic Parisian brands It merges Repettos classic ballet craftsmanship with Yohji Yamamotos avantgarde oversized and deconstructed aesthetic
3 Why is this collaboration considered a big deal
Because it connects two very different worlds the delicate traditional world of ballet and the edgy conceptual world of high fashion It creates shoes that are both functional and artistic
4 What does Charlotte say is the most important part of this partnership
She emphasizes the importance of mutual respect and learning Its not just about putting a logo on a shoe its about blending Repettos technical knowhow with Yamamotos unique design vision
The Design The Shoes
5 What kind of shoes can I expect from this collaboration
You can expect reimagined versions of Repettos classic ballerina flats and lowtop shoes but with Yamamotos signature touchesthink asymmetrical lines unusual draping and a lot of black
6 How does the design actually merge the two styles
The shoes keep the soft flexible sole and the iconic stitch and turn technique of Repetto but they feature Yamamotos deconstructed shapes like folded leather raw edges or wrapped straps that look like sculptural art
7 Are these shoes actually wearable for dancing
While they are rooted in ballet technique they are designed for fashion and streetwear not for dancing on stage They are comfortable and flexible but they are meant to be worn as lifestyle footwear
8 What is the stitch and turn technique mentioned in the interview
It is Repettos signature method where the shoe is sewn inside out and then turned right side out This creates a shoe with no hard internal seams making it incredibly soft and flexible
The Business Future
9 Why did Repetto choose Yamamoto for this collaboration
Charlotte explains that Yamamoto