Girls in Rouje: Portraits of Inspiring Women

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It’s out of love for women that Jeanne Damas created Rouje in 2016. Today, her inspiration leads her to interview female figures. A look back at these portraits.

Rouje: the love for women 

Jeanne Damas is the story of a true Parisian who loves to dress up and loves her city. So, when she launched her women’s ready-to-wear brand, Rouje, in 2016, we were more than thrilled. 

With her label, the fashion influencer reinvents her ideal wardrobe. She designs clothes for women with the ever-present goal of enhancing their beauty. As she puts it so well, “I love the idea that in Rouje, you see the woman before the clothing.” Her fashion pieces are indeed a tribute to femininity, one that is bold and sensual. 

Surrounded by her stylists and designers, Jeanne draws from vintage codes to tell the story of the Parisian woman. Never vulgar but undoubtedly sexy, with the pieces from the Rouje collection, it’s all in the details. High-waisted jeans, retro floral dresses that beautifully accentuate the silhouette, and printed skirts that subtly reveal the legs—it’s all about balance; we suggest rather than show.

In Rouje, the woman is chic, nonchalant, and self-confident. 

The woman is thus Jeanne’s muse. The woman as inspiration, the woman as a driving force, she is the one we find behind the lens and backstage. And this love for femininity has become her creed. Rouje speaks to the woman, the one you see on the street, just like in the movies. And since she is always in the spotlight, she has made it her cause as well.

Today, she decides to tell the stories of female figures who inspire her. She is also committed to the Maison des Femmes, where she became an ambassador in 2021, and to the ReCréateurs, a collective that helps reintegrate women through sewing. 

The Rouje Meetings, a project by Jeanne Damas

Dressing women was not enough for the Parisian icon; she needed to go further. Inspired by meetings, discussions, and the beautiful things in everyday life, Jeanne wished to highlight the journeys of women who have moved her. 

That’s how the Rouje Meetings were born, a series of portraits in which she gives a voice to these women, these artists, these mothers, to those who are free and live by their own codes.

With her camera, Jeanne meets these unique Parisian women whom she dresses in Rouje.

6 women whose portraits are enhanced by Rouje

1- Sara Kontar 

Through her collective Eyes from Syria, Sara loves to tell stories, about things and people. She shares with Jeanne her journey and her exile with her twin brother from Syria to France.  She also recounts how her art has allowed her to live thus far and survive. A unique portrait full of authenticity. 

2- Frankie Wallach 

Frankie grew up with the backdrop of her grandmother’s deportation story. She created a cinematic portrait that lies somewhere between a documentary and fiction, which she calls: “Too Much Love.” She reflects on this personal project tied to her family heritage, her motivations, and the filming process. 

3- Bettina & Patricia 

Initially neighbors and then friends, Bettina & Patricia have become, over the years, partners and founders of the Drei brand, an eco-responsible decoration shop located in the 20th arrondissement of Paris. In their portrait, both women confide in Jeanne about their professional reinvention, but also about their vision of the Parisian woman, the free woman, as they love to hear it. 

4- Coralie Kory

Coralie is the founder of Jah-Jah, a plant-based restaurant that highlights Afro-Caribbean cuisine. But it’s also a place for meeting and exchanging ideas. In her interview, Coralie talks about her vision of Paris as a place of cultural diversity. She also reflects on her relationship with images and self-acceptance. 

5- Awa Cissé

Awa wears two hats. She is both a human resources manager and the founder of Razzia, a vintage concept where she curates and resells fashion and decoration items inspired by the 70s. In her interview, she confides in Jeanne about her dual professional journey and her relationship with Paris, the city of opportunities and the art of living, according to her!

6- Josepha Raphard

Josepha is the founder of the Loma Club, a free discussion group dedicated to mothers from all backgrounds. In this closed interview, she explains her relationship with motherhood and how the arrival of her daughter allowed her to connect with herself and other women. 

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