It was whilst working at Sonia Rykiel that Catherine Dupire-Clément and Nathalie Macmillan bonded over their love of punk-lux style. Barely a year later and these two ladies are shaking up the French fashion landscape with their own sizzling label Back to Noise. Forget for a moment the sensible, classic chic that Paris is renowned; this fledgling label pushes the envelope with its sexy and punky edgy-elegance. Hinting at a time when trash-glamour was the style du jour, Back to Noise rock out with their ready to wear pieces with a twist. The A/W 09 collection, their second, features red leopard print, pony skin, studs, chains, tarantula motifs and spiderweb knits. Bold detailing – (detachable) fur/leather shoulder pads, or even scarab beetle ornaments on the purses and clutch bags – is eyecatching and hardly meant for the wallflowers amongst us. Designer/Co-founder Catherine and General Manager/Co-founder Nathalie took Running in Heels on a tour of their lofty Parisian showroom one sunny Friday afternoon. Rencontre:

Catherine, tell us a little bit about your personal and professional background and how, as a designer it has influenced Back to Noise:

When I was a teenager I fell for the whole new wave/punk musical movement…the late 80s was so musical and graphic and I found it a very interesting period. I went out a lot, and I said to myself that I was always interested by clothing and everything to do with clothing, therefore I decided to work towards a career in design because I thought I ‘had’ something. I wanted to be able to dress my friends, and try and introduce this musical current into fashion. So I went to design school, and afterwards I went to work for several commercial brands because I really wanted to learn the trade and ‘dip my toes into the water’, so to speak.

How did Back to Noise come about?

Catherine: I learnt the profession during all those years. And at one moment, I felt like saying something personal. I thought I knew the profession quite well, well enough to express what I wanted to express. Therefore Back to Noise was like returning to my roots – to my musical roots.

Nathalie: You learnt the technical side whilst working for other people, you expressed the sentiments of other people and then the moment came where you were able to express what you really wanted to express (with this label).

French fashion is know for being on the conservative side: classic, BCBG (Bon Chic Bon Genre), whereas the ‘rock chic’ vibe you champion could be more associated with the London scene. Why break the mould with Back to Noise?

N: The idea that we have of French fashion (is that) it is somewhat conservative, classic; it is chic but too planned out.

C: I feel French and even Parisian by certain influences. Also there are certain sides to la mode parisienne that I love – I adore YSL for example – but at the same time I think I have a culture that is not 100% French. As I’ve always listened to Anglosaxon music, I don’t really feel French. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong country! I also don’t like the ‘code’ of the French bourgeoisie…it doesn’t suit me. For me, being chic does not correspond with the French bourgeoisie.

Can you describe the Back to Noise woman?

C: I think she’s a woman who could be 20 years old, 40 years old or 60 years old but it depends on her personality. She’s a woman who wants to dress up, to show off, to be feminine, but always with a touch of rock.

N: She is comfortable with herself, free in her mind, she can take any piece from the collection and dress it up, wear it to work or even trash it. She’s a fantasist, she is creative, but she is not a fashion victim. When she wears the clothing, she makes it her own because she has fun with it. She must be somewhat of a connoisseur; she is instinctive and wants to express herself with really sharp cuts.

Do you feel like you have shocked the French fashion community with your more daring style? Was that your intention?

C: To have shocked, no, but to be different yes. I make very wearable clothing, clothing that is not conceptual. These are items that can be worn everyday by a real woman. But it perhaps represents a change of direction, finding another path to tread.

The label in one word?

C: Iconoclastic

Obviously the 80s have been an influence in your collections – can you pinpoint any artists, musicians or films that have been an inspiration?

C: I’m a big fan of Joy Division, Poison Ivy, Siouxsie and the Banshees…I love Vivienne Westwood,  David Lynch and Bladerunner.

What were your favourite aspects of the 80s?

C: What I loved was the ‘get out there and do it’ aspect of the period. I have the impression that it was a very creative era where people went out a lot and they dressed up to go out. There was eccentricity but it was always with a touch of ‘chic-destroy.’ The notion to dare – that’s what influenced me a lot from this period.

N: In the 80s people started creating, it was not a coincidence, or a reaction to a previous event. They really expressed what they wanted to create. During the 80s an enormous amount of musical groups and artists came out; it was a post-revolution to (the events of) May 1968. Catherine takes aspects from the 80s and makes them modern. It doesn’t look 80s, but rather 80s-inspired; she takes it further which makes the whole collection new.

What challenges have you faced since launching the label?

N: We are in the middle of working on some collaborations and admittedly, it’s harder (working) with French women; it’s easier to find the Back to Noise woman in London, New York or even Berlin. They (French women) don’t dare and they don’t let go, they conform. Paris is the capital of fashion for the uptight, for the people who don’t break the mould.

What materials do you prefer to work with?

C: I love leather, fur, silk…materials that are a bit rough or raw but luxurious at the same time. Materials that are animalistic yet feminine and still sophisticated.

What’s next for Back to Noise?

N: Collaborations that are still in the making. We are still looking for distributors in London. It’s really hard to find somebody that is going to be able to represent us in the right environment – in the right boutiques – as it’s not the kind of collection where everyone’s going to come and pick up their basics, it is more high end both stylistically and in quality.

And finally, if Back to Noise were a high heel, what kind of heel would it be?

C: They would be extreme heels; very high, a very sharp stiletto heel and covered in python skin. I run in heels everywhere; all day, everyday, I’m never without my heels! Even my ‘slippers’ are stiletto heels!

Back to Noise is available at Farida (Paris), T Rose (Biarritz) and selected boutiques in the USA.

www.backtonoise.com