This bohemian, playful home with a picture postcard view of the Moulin Rouge inspires Fifi’s theatrical spirit and style …
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Sentimental, sensuous and often humorous, Fifi Chachnil has been creating beautiful clothes since 1984, when she launched her first ready-to-wear collection: a decidedly theatrical ensemble of skating outfits, ruffled bloomers, cowgirl and tiger prints which were worn by Marc Almond and other performance artists.
Fifi quickly became known for her fashion shows staged in iconic Parisian venues such as Le Crazy Horse and Le Lido on the Champs Elysee, in addition to international venues such as the V&A Museum in London, as well as Capri and Miami. She once said, “My shows are the opportunity to celebrate and bring together all the things I love: music, choreography, design, theatre, creating scenes and bringing my team together.” The latter consists of artists and the fashion elite – from photographer Ellen von Unwerth and Ines de la Fressange to Victoire Castellane and actress Helena Noguerra.
Her brand has expanded and now she produces lingerie, swimwear, accessories, fragrance and a Mini Fifi collection for children. She’s most known for her lingerie, though, and her classic styles are her “culottes” (Joyeuse, Minette and Bloomer), corsets, stockings and nighties.
Fifi lives in the Montmartre district. It’s a different Paris: bohemian, irreverent and playful, where the spirit of dancer Joséphine Baker still reigns. At the foot of the hill, facing the famous Moulin Rouge, Fifi lives with a postcard view of the renowned cabaret that has been a source of inspiration for artists throughout history. Its theatrical spirit infuses her home and continues to inspire her.
The interior of Fifi’s home reveals her personality: creative, fun, dreamy and welcoming. Soft textures and colours, both bold and feminine, dominate every space. She adorns furniture, lamps and objets with muslin in different shades to add a touch of “froufrou” as she charmingly puts it.
I’m struck by her choices, like the cosy spot for her cat Renée Lapin, from whom she is inseparable, and the curtain covering the washing machine. Everything exudes the flair of an artist. I always appreciate meeting people with this kind of sensitivity – it makes my work incredibly enjoyable. Fifi’s friend Vincent Darré had told me about her and what a delightful surprise it would be to meet her.
A writer and singer, as well as a renowned worldwide designer of fashion and lingerie, Fifi draws inspiration from the sensual and feminine side of Paris. Her passion for music is a creative outlet that has become crucial for expressing her poetic and artistic side. She shares with me one of her songs that speaks of her perspective on her beloved city, leaving me with a resonating phrase: “Les souvenirs d’un Paris si petit peuvent contenir tout l’amour de la vie” (The memories of such a small Paris can contain all the love of life). @maisonfifichachnil
From: Inside Paris by Ricardo Labougle, published by Vendome Press.
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