French Creative Industries Unite Under the Banner of Courage to Create
The Palais Brongniart in Paris recently hosted the 2025 edition of We Are French Touch, an event organized by Bpifrance that convened leading figures from the creative industries. Against the backdrop of the former stock exchange's historic architecture, the focus was firmly placed on the intersection of creativity, art, cinema, music, video games, and fashion with the spirit of entrepreneurship. The central theme explored throughout the gathering was the "courage to create," emphasizing the drive to innovate, execute projects, and safeguard cultural identity.
The event delved into its core theme through a series of engaging formats, including extensive round-table discussions covering topics such as the "(Re)-made in France" movement within fashion. Workshops provided practical insights on export strategies and the integration of AI solutions, while inspiring presentations were delivered by a diverse array of industry leaders, artists, musicians, politicians, philosophers, doctors, and, naturally, entrepreneurs. These concise, ten-minute talks were designed to offer a digestible yet thought-provoking experience for the predominantly youthful audience.
Among the notable discussions were those exploring collaborative bridges between fashion and the art world, exemplified by a conversation between Danish designer Naja Munthe and Véra Kempf, co-founder of the digital art gallery Singulart. Furthermore, psychiatrist David Gourion delivered a compelling address advocating for the integral role of art within the care pathways for individuals suffering from depression, highlighting its therapeutic potential.
Within the fashion and luxury sectors, content creator Lays and Edouard Benadava, head of content and programming at The Independents, shared insights into the "Watch Party" initiative. This event, which originated during the most recent Fashion Week, attracted thousands to the courtyard of La Caserne – a hub for sustainable fashion in Paris's 10th arrondissement. What began as a social-media critic's anti-fashion-system stance evolved into a unifying movement, embraced by fashion enthusiasts and industry players keen to participate in live streams that mirrored the excitement of sporting fixtures, followed by dynamic debates. This transformation of initial frustration and a seemingly naive idea into an optimistic, cohesive movement underscored a significant act of courage, poised for continuation in future seasons.
The theme of naivety, tempered by courage, resonated deeply in Isabel Marant's reflections on her three-decade journey, shared alongside the brand’s managing director, Anouck Duranteau-Loeper. Marant, who launched her eponymous brand 30 years ago and began her first project in the mid-1980s, confessed to needing "a lot of courage" throughout her career. She recounted the youthful audacity of establishing her own house at 19, a decision she now attributes more to "carefree naivety" than pure courage, as it quickly brought unforeseen challenges like accounting, bank loans, and chasing unpaid invoices. As her team grew, courage for Marant meant learning to trust, delegate, and, creatively, to consistently bounce back. Delivering four collections annually, she likened the experience to "taking my A-levels every four months," describing it as exhausting yet hugely instructive, driven by the determination to "go further the following season and keep moving forward" despite the frustrations of unmet creative aspirations.
This enduring progress has been significantly bolstered by nine years of a strong, trusting partnership with Anouck Duranteau-Loeper. Duranteau-Loeper articulated her role as ensuring the creative talent of the founder is showcased "in the right places and in the best possible way," which often involves setting necessary constraints, even if it means being perceived as the "killjoy." This dynamic, she explained, hinges on essential trust. She added that courage also manifests when Isabel, with her inherent vision, expresses conviction in a project, compelling her to listen and follow through. This constant adjustment, balancing strategic direction against a determined, sometimes "a little messy," but always present creative talent, defines leadership in the fashion industry.
Ultimately, whether the endeavor is organizing groundbreaking events, fostering connections between diverse creative worlds, or driving the success of a fashion enterprise, the overarching recipe for achievement appears to be the courage to effectively combine and harness various talents.
