Profile: Pierre Frey

Pierre Frey, grandson to the man who founded the company that bears his name, was born in April 1976 in Paris. Although he spent his years living and studying in Paris, he and his family traveled extensively, particularly to the United States. His childhood included the very American ritual of summer camp in Maine and New Hampshire.

After 5 years of business school between Paris and London, Pierre decided to join the prestigious family business. His father, wanting a well-rounded training for Pierre, insisted that he learn all aspects of the business and arranged for internships at various company mills.

His first area of responsibility was the Middle East region (Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar), followed by Southern Europe, Asia and finally France before moving to the US. Now based in New York, Pierre spends more than half of his time traveling the US and Canada to oversee sales and business development.

How would you describe your personal style?
French vintage chic. I believe there is no harm in wearing H&M, but never fail to have beautiful shoes and a custom shirt.

What inspires your creativity?
Eclectic people and travel

What is your most prized possession?
Family

What is the one thing in life you cannot live without?
La Maison PIERRE FREY

Who are your style icons?
Style is synonymous to me with Yves Saint Laurent, Phillipe Starck and Alberto Pinto.

Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?
I love to give fashion designers the opportunity to work in interior design. We recently had a hit collection with Jean-Charles de Castelbajac but I would love to pursue Paul Smith for his colors, Marc Jacob for his creativity or Karl Lagerfeld for his elegance.

What books are currently on your bedside table?
I just finished Stieg Larsson's Millenium books, the best seller in Europe last summer, I can't believe its still not sold in the US. I just started Downtown by Pete Hamill, a former editor of both the NY Post & NY Daily News who describes downtown New York with the most interesting historical details.

What is your favorite luxury in life?
I have a quite large shoe collection

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
A holiday with friends on the other side of the world. Past indulgences include Lamu, Kenya; Mykonos; Trancoso, Brazil. Being able to bring my globally scattered best friends together for any unforgettable experience is total luxury.

Past or present who has most influenced your direction in life?
My grandfather, Pierre Frey.

Who would you most like to meet and how would you spend the day?
President Obama. Breakfast in the White House, champagne in the oval office, maybe a ride in Marine One and finishing the day with a state dinner honoring France.

Profile by Ronda Carman

Profile & Podcast: Pierre Frey Celebrates 75 Years

Patrick and Lorraine Frey with Pierre (front) and Vincent (back)

January 1st marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the house of Pierre Frey. When I was last in New York I had the opportunity to spend time with Pierre Frey, named after his grandfather and the company founder, who is now in charge of the US subsidiary. We had a chance to talk about fabrics, design and the family's history. Listen here.

It is hard not to be smitten with the Pierre Frey showroom and the walls of exquisite fabric. After touring the showroom, I was fascinated to learn from Pierre of the company’s remarkable archival collection. Since 2003 more than 30,000 documents dating from the 16th century to the present day have been gathered in Paris where they can be searched by period, colour, motif and technique. It’s an extraordinary resource, which represents designs from the company’s four brands (Pierre Frey, Braquenié, fadini borgh, Boussac) along with a selection of rare pieces acquired at auction, from antique dealers and private collections.

Patrick and Pierre Frey

The Pierre Frey story is one of adventure and a self-made man. The founder, Pierre Frey, was born into a bourgeois family in Northern France in 1903 and grew up in an elegant world among music-lovers and antique dealers. When his parents’ fortunes suddenly took a turn for the worse, Pierre had to leave school and go to work. At the age of 16 he became an assistant in an antiques business on Place de la Madeleine, and on January 1st 1935 he set up his own business, creating Pierre Frey.

Of course war followed soon after, bringing difficult times, yet Pierre carried on working, making deliveries to his customers on his bicycle. Ambitious and dedicated in every sense of the word, Pierre built his success by blending passion, dedication and rigorous attention to detail.

Fortunately, Pierre’s only son, Patrick, shared his father’s passion for fabrics. Patrick also inherited a strong artistic instinct from his mother, a textile designer, and from his maternal grandfather René Prou – a renowned interior designer in the 1930s.

When Patrick joined the company he learned the ropes by working in all the departments. He became creative director of Pierre Frey in 1975 and Chairman in 1976. Since then he has personally approved every new fabric produced by the company – of which there are around 50 a year. Assisted by his wife Lorraine, who develops the company’s international profile, Patrick brings devotion, enthusiasm and intuition to the company his father founded.

It’s a wonderful story of passion, respect for the past, and vision for the future that spans three generations. Spend any time around this family and it is obvious that Patrick Frey, his wife Lorraine and his three sons, Pierre, Vincent and Matthieu, share a love of the family history, a passion for detail, a strong work ethic and enthusiasm for creativity. Here is to another 75 wonderful years.

Tomorrow I will profile Pierre Frey, the grandson and the man overseeing the US subsidiary.

Profile by Ronda Carman