Does your creativity spark more from a mindset, a physical space, or from moments in time?
Victor: For us, creativity mostly happens while walking.
Victoria: Yes, I was thinking the same.
Victor: When you sit in a studio for days, sewing or staring at a blank page, ideas rarely come. But the moment we walk – even just ten minute – ideas start flowing, colliding with each other.
Victoria: That’s why we often choose to walk to places instead of taking the metro or bus. Movement is essential to out process. During these walks, we organize thoughts and shape the next project.
Victor: Exactly – walking keeps ideas in motion. It’s like the first step to dynamic thinking.
Victoria: And Paris makes it easy.
Victor: Yes, the city itself invites you to walk.

Do you take notes along the way, or pictures?
Victor: Not really. We talk a lot, sharing every idea. That’s how we stay productive. In a true duo, you can’t keep things in your head – you have to say them out loud, test if they’re worth pursuing.
Victoria: Most of the time, we quickly test ideas after discussing them. That way, we know if they’re worth developing.
Victor: We don’t waste time on what doesn’t work. Whether it’s a prototype, a sample, or even the start of a new collection – we make things right away, regardless of whether it’s for six months from now or a year.

How does your creative process begin? Sketches, materials,moodboards?
Victoria: We usually start with a scenario – a storytelling framework.
Victor: Yes, but we don’t follow it religiously. For example, we once imagined a collection about a lighthouse keeper: What if he’s caught in a storm, stuck inside the lighthouse? The story must feel credible.
Victoria: Cinema influences us a lot. It shapes the way we think.
Victor: we used to create short films for every collection. We don’t have the time anymore, but the link between script, collection, and film was very strong when we were students.
Victoria: A storyline helps guide both the sketches and the experiments with fabrics and shapes. It keeps us aligned.
Victor: And it allows each of us to bring more ideas to the table.

Do you struggle to find materials that fit the story?
Victoria: Often, we actually start with the materials, so it’s not really a struggle.
Victor: But if we don’t have the right fabric or supplier, we won’t force it. I don’t sketch a silhouette without knowing the material first.
Victoria: Being a small brand, we value independence. We work with fabrics we know well and can manipulate ourselves.

Beyond fashion itself, which influences – cinema, music, philosophy, or others – continue to inspire your creations?
Both: Cinema, above all.
Victor: In the beginning, graphic novels and filmmakers like David Lynch and Martin Vaughn – James inspired us. That’s why we’re called La Cage – it’s about realism in movement.

Is there a recurring theme in your collections?
Victor: They used to be about very different topics.
Victoria: But even then, a certain thread always ran through.
Victor: Yes, often themes of wandering, walking alone, reflecting on the future.
Victoria: Also the idea of uniforms, of architectural menswear.
Victor: Clothes as testimony – like finding your mother’s wedding dress. You don’t need a photo; the garment itself tells the story.

What does craftsmanship represent for you, working within an industry that moves so quickly?
Victor: From the start, our brand has been about what we can make ourselves. If we can’t, we learn. We rely on our own skills.
Victoria: We like being hands-on, not just with samples but also with small production runs.
Victor: Every piece needs our touch. Even with something as simple as a T-shirt – maybe we fade it in the sun, or embroider it.
Victoria: That’s the beauty of small brands: each piece can be unique.
Victor: We can do things larger brands can’t – or won’t – do.
Victoria: We enjoy taking the time to add these details.
Victor: Those imperfect, human touches are what make garments special.
Victoria: You can always tell when someone has taken the time to add a single stitch with care.
Victor: And as designed, we love asking: how was this made? Which layer came first? How was it cut?

When working on a garment, how do you decide it has reached its final form?
Victor: At school, we learned to step back mid-process. We take pictures, look at the garment, and ask: Could this be the final version? It’s never really “finished” – every stage could be an endpoint.
Victoria: Sometimes accidents lead to the best results – it’s part of the fun.
Victor: In recent collections, we experimented with sun-fading and burying garments. With such processes, the ending is unpredictable. The material decides.
Victoria: And we enjoy being surprised.
Victor: Most of the time, we agree on when a piece feels complete. The only recurring difference is about raw edges – a preference that comes from our past experiences in different studios.
Victoria: But overall, we see clothing as architecture: never truly finished, always evolving into the next collection.

How do function and aesthetics coexist in your designs?
Victoria: We design “architectural” clothing – functional at the core, like a shirt that truly feels like a shirt.
Victor: Exactly. The silhouette must first feel natural, then we layer in aesthetics: embroidery, details, craftsmanship. The beauty lies in the making, but function comes first.
Victoria: The only fragile fabrics we use are for “useless” pieces – silk, decorative garments.
Victor: Fragile fabrics should feel precious. They remind you to take care, to handle them delicately.

Is it about comfort or self-expression?
Victoria: More self-expression. We like garments that confuse people: Is this vintage? Or is it new?
Victor: For us, weight matters. A jacket should feel heavy like vintage pieces. A silk shirt should feel delicate. Comfort isn’t our priority; it’s about the tactile experience.
Victor: And today, clothing is also about communication. Even if it’s not self-expression, communication is unavoidable.

Was there a defining moment when you knew this was the right partnership?
Victoria: For us, designing together was natural – we never really decided, it just happened. But the collaboration with Labels & things was the moment that truly confirmed our partnership.
Victor: Yes, with Labels & Things it felt like the right time, the right place, the right people. We were working on vintage- inspired ideas, exploring artisanal wool, experimenting with how fabrics could be transformed. It pushed us further together.
Victoria: That collection was about confusing perceptions: Is this old or new? Handmade or industrial? On our own, we could never have realized that truly. With L&T, the impossible became possible.
Victor: Exactly. Take the cap we designed – our idea was to recreate a natural sun-fading process. We literally placed pieces under the sun, then asked: Can this effect be reproduced in a factory? With them, we found a way.
Victoria: And it was seamless from the start. The very first prototype turned out exactly how we imagined it.
Victor: That’s when we knew: this collaboration was not just about one collection, but about validating our way of working together as designers.

What question do you wish people asked you more often?
Victoria: How is it made? That’s the most exciting question for us.
Victor: It comes up sometimes in showrooms, but rarely.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Victoria: Honestly, I hope to be the same as I am now – still a designer, still deeply involved in craftsmanship – but with less pressure. I don’t want to design and then hand everything off; I want to keep developing the pieces myself. For the brand, I imagine us still producing in France, in Paris, especially with our artisanal wool.
Victor: I feel the same. In the future, I see myself spending even more time on making, on craftsmanship rather than just design. I’d like La Cage to always carry our final touch on every garment. It’s something I can imagine doing my whole life – more hours, more day, always refining the craft.