Hélène is born in Paris in 1965, she studied at Studio Berçot before building her career designing accessories for the fashion and luxury industries, notably for Hermes, Celine, and Karl Lagerfeld. In 1990, she gained recognition with her brand 31 Février Paris, winning an Andam Fashion Award. Some of her handbag creations are part of the permanent collection at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. In 2024, the French Mobilier National acquired two of her object designs.
“We Love Singularity”
Her creative process is defined by singularity, surprise, and fantasy, all of which shape her work with leather, her signature material. She creates through a bespoke approach that prioritizes human interaction and highlights the craftsmanship of leather goods.
History
1986
Graduated from Studio Berçot
1987
Fondation of the brand 31 Février, which distinguished itself by reintroducing the concept of the "object-bag" into the very traditional field of leather goods. Widely distributed internationally, some models are part of the collections at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris
1988
First collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld, creating bags for his Spring-Summer ready-to-wear show, with more that will follow.
1989
Bag creations for Thierry Mugler, “Africaine” Spring/Summer 1988 collection, “Les Infernales” Autumn/Winter 1988/1989 collection. The Coffin Bag was showcased at the retrospective at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in 2022.
1990
Winner of the ANDAM Fashion Award presented in Paris, 31 Février is the first accessories brand to receive this prestigious award.
2013
Professor at the Institut Français de la Mode in the Major Creation Accessories department.
2015
Creation of a series of objects for Hermès, Petit h.
2016
Presentation of the first object, « le bureau mural » at the Hermès store on Rue de Sèvres.
2017
Installation of « L’épouvantail de salon » at the Hermès store on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
2020
New design for Hermès Petit h: Les Housses de sac Casaque, a bag cover for all their models.
2022
Creation of a SS22 capsule collection "Open the Window" for Mark Cross in New York, inspired by the brand's history and Alfred Hitchcock's film "Rear Window."