Looking for info about Madame Zaza of Marseille

Hello, it's me again!
And I'm still desperately looking to know the story of a brand I saw on an online ad. I'm French so I know the city of Marseille but I've never heard of this brand (Madame Zaza of Marseille). If anyone has any info? I am always impressed by the amount of vintage brands that we have in France that we don't know exist, in short, always very grateful for the resources you have in this regard as a thrift enthusiast
Sorry for my english if I did any mistakes and thanks for your contribution

 

Hi, no need to apologise, your English is very good and perfectly understandable.

Madame Zaza of Marseille was a ready to wear label, founded by husband and wife team, Philippe Adrien and Marisa Laurens – the name Zaza was a nod to his wife, who was a stylist. Sadly she passed away in 2010 after battling an illness.

According to a blog by Philippe, the label was founded in 1980, and a magazine article (page 62) also mentions early 80s
https://philippeadrien.blogspot.com/2006/11/petite-biographie.html
https://www.cotemagazine.com/upload/cotemagazine/magazine/COTE-MARSEILLE-PROVENCE-AVRIL-2013.pdf

I did find this source that stated the brand was founded in 1990
https://romeartweek.com/en/artists/?code=LPOAXI

This video was made in Marisa's honour – it has some beautiful footage of both Philippe and Madame Zaza herself, Marisa, the inspiration behind the name.
Madame ZaZa of Marseille - Hommage à Marisa

 

Wow wow wow !!! Thanks a lot for your research its so complete ! According to you how old could be this linnen jacket?

 

I am an American living in the San Francisco Bay area, a retired lawyer who loves clothes and especially artistic designs. I have traveled to France often and speak decent French, having studied in Geneva for one year at the University there.

Thank you for your comments about Madame Zaza's exquisite styles. Thank you especially for the video, which I found very moving. I shopped at Madame Zaza's twice and might have met her on the first occasion, at her then shop in Paris, which I visited perhaps in 1980, when I was in my late 50s. I bought a stunning coat at that time which truly was and remains a showstopper. I still wear the coat.

I particularly recall wearing the coat when going to the lunchroom at one of San Francisco's most wonderful museums, the deYoung. Two women my age or older stopped me with amazement: "Where did you get that coat?" ( answer: Paris). "We have never seen anything so artistic."

Jumping ahead a number of decades, I visited the flagship Mme ZaZa store in Marseille in 2015. We (my husband was with me) were told that Madame Zaza had died. This was very sad news for us.

There was a special show on display, perhaps the last show she designed or managed? The theme was clothing made of breathtaking fabrics with prints copied from paintings: particularly paintings of gardens as well as abstract designs, all with bright colors, especially orange, green and blue.

Now, I am a clotheshorse. I didn't need so many new clothing items. A French friend to whom I showed this new clothing to was quite alarmed at my extravagance. I bought five items and somehow managed to get them into my suitcase to take home to the San Francisco. I might have bought an additional suitcase, come to think of it.

One is a silk dress that I have worn to weddings. Drop dead, gorgeous. Several guests at the wedding went nuts over this dress. Also three incredible tops and one pair of orange pants.

I see that a number of participants in this forum are fans of Madame Zaza. To answer your possible question, these items are not available for sale. They are ageless. I am now almost 78. I will wear them to the end of my life.

They are my favorite clothing items.

Thank you, dear Mme Zaza, and your husband. The quality and artistic excellence of Madame Zaza's designs are comparable to M. Jolly's superb artistic designs for the opening ceremony of the recent Paris Olympics.

I am honored to wear your designs.

French design is unparalleled.

Ruth

 

Update from Ruth

my 1980-ish Mme ZaZa coat purchased at the former Paris shop is made of beige boiled wool / felt with a contrasting fabric and unusual buttons. See photo and Mme ZaZa label below if I am able to upload.

The 2015 items were purchased at the Marseille Mme shop after her death are not Mme ZaZa designs. Sorry about that. See photos of that label and the silk dress I have worn to weddings.

 

Sample of multiple painting - based items purchased at the Marseille shop in 2015 after death of Mme ZaZa. The labels read "Auteurs?? Des Toiles."