Loane Cognard, IÉSEG student, cofounds and launches Lo Neel, a vegan clothing brand
09/09/2019
Frédérique Muller and Loane Cognard, Picture © Olivia Ghalioungui
Loane Cognard, student in the Grande Ecole Program at IÉSEG, recently cofounded and launched the vegan and eco-friendly brand Lo Neel. We interviewed Loane this summer, who told us about this atypical brand, which was showcased during the Oriental Fashion Show at the Ritz in Paris on June 30.
1. Could you explain how you began to work at and how you had the idea to create Lo Neel?
I had the idea for Lo Neel during my internship last year. Creativity being one of my talents, undoubtedly because my mother is an artist, I suggested the idea of the two of us embarking on an adventure to start a vegan clothing brand.
We then started conceptualizing the brand image, our values and desires. Thanks to the talent of my mother Frédérique Muller, who is a fashion designer, we designed the clothes of our first collection.
We work with natural materials that are respectful of the environment. For example, one of our key pieces is made from pineapple fiber. We also use soybean fiber, recycled polyester, organic cotton, etc. We were fortunate to be PETA certified just before our opening brand event on June 12, 2019. During this occasion, we presented the brand to around one hundred people.
2. The brand was presented during the Oriental Fashion Show. Could you please describe this experience in a few words?
Following our launch event, the creator of the Oriental Fashion Show invited us to do a show at the Ritz on June 30, an incredible opportunity. We participated in the show alongside some of the best designers from the Middle East, and the audience was very prestigious. Following this fantastic event, we were featured in the fashion press 5 times. We have also been invited to the Los Angeles Vegan Fashion Week in September. A great progam awaits us!
Picture © Olivia Ghalioungui
3. How has your experience at IÉSEG helped you in your role at Lo Neel?
Many of the courses have helped me to fight against certain fears and, above all, to do more than what I thought I was capable of. The drama classes, for example, really helped me, as expressing myself in public has been a problem for me. With these courses, I have learned to be less afraid. All of the presentations also helped me to get better at this.
I also think that IÉSEG has helped me to push my limits and to follow things through. I started in the second year (at IÉSEG). Now I have a double challenge: launching Lo Neel and to succeed at IÉSEG. It’s not always easy, but the values that IÉSEG transmits to its students allow us to always go further in order to succeed.
Follow Lo Neel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lo.neel/