Connaisseur Paris Founder, Alain Chaps, Fashion Mogul With a Global Perspective

He’s a global entrepreneur with business interests in the US, Europe, and Africa.

As a fashion designer and founder of Connaisseur Paris, Alain Chaps is one of the foremost modern menswear ready-towear fashion designers in the world. He is also one of the most celebrated and influential designers in the industry and has been for the past twenty years. He is known as Le Connaisseur because of his impeccable taste and fashion style. Chaps has the unique ability to transform elegance into ready-made garments. He developed his style to accommodate the fast-paced changes in the fashion world. His clientele ranges from royalty, head of states, celebrities, to the modern and elegant man. His approach differs from most industry perspectives because he focuses on helping men find confidence in looking both chic, elegant, and comfortable. His expertise has garnered him positions on the boards of many other international businesses in the United States, Europe, and in Africa.

Alain’s Work As a Philanthropist.

Alain Chaps’ philanthropic work follows him wherever he goes. He is a proud Ambassador of Jesus Christ and sits on the board of Elizabeth Chaps Global Ministries; a ministry that specializes in helping orphans, poor widows and empowering women both in the US and Africa. He often sponsors and takes part in food donations and clothing distributions both in the US and in Africa.

Afrovibes had the opportunity to sit down with him to discuss his passion for fashion and helping the disenfranchised all over the world in a face-to-face interview.

Define fashion in your own words.

Fashion is an expression. Fashion is you giving someone insight into your soul. That’s really what fashion is. A physical representation of what is inside. That is so beautiful. What is it you like best about being a fashion designer? The ability to create, the ability to help people discover their own personal style and fashion. The ability to see beauty where sometimes it’s hard to see.

That’s very profound. When and how did it all begin?

Well, I would say you have two schools of thought when it comes to fashion. You have those who are born with it instinctually. You also have those who are inspired to learn it. In my case, I would say I was pretty much probably just blessed to bond with it and I also learned to improve on that. So, my uncle was a very fashionable person. I’m from Cameroon. He had the number one boutique in Cameroon. He has a friend who went to the same school in France. So that’s my mentor. I was exposed to the industry very early. I inherited some, and I learned some.

That leads to the next question. Who or what are your inspirations for creating your designs?

My inspiration comes from everywhere. And the beauty of fashion is that we have great fashion designers who have come before us. You know, they worked with only a solid foundation. We always know fashion evolves. But what they’ve done, the things that influenced my methods are that they designed suits. The original suit was designed two hundred years ago. So, as a fashion designer, what do I do? There’s innovation intestinal, there’s innovation in modern personal technology, all of that. So, my fashion is full of tradition and also the modern world. For example, the new guys are wearing the phone keys, you have a car, you’re busy and it cuts down on the time you have to get somewhere. How do I make you look elegant in that lifestyle? So that’s where the inspiration comes from. It comes from designers from the past and the modern man and his needs.

Creative expressions can take many forms. What made you decide to start your own fashion brand?

Good question. Yes. Really, if I weren’t a fashion designer, I would be an interior designer. My family exposed me to design in my early childhood years. That’s where my specialty started. I’m the guy that wants to make sure my home is neat, there’s no playing in the beds and no wrinkles on my bed. My shoes are positioned perfectly in a place of convenience for easy access. It’s very nice. And if I come to your house during the holidays, I will fix anything that needs fixing regarding clothing. The clothing part came from my uncle. That’s where that shift came in. You know, I helped him in his boutique at a very young age. I fell in love with fashion there. I didn’t play soccer in Africa. A friend of mine plays soccer in my three-piece suits. That’s how my focus on clothing came about. That’s unique. I like the story, even if you are from Africa and not playing soccer. That already makes you unique, and I think it’s cool what your uncle did. Like, he kind of cultivated, helped to cultivate what was already there within you. So, are you self-taught or did you study? A combination of both? Yes, I went to fashion school, but I am also selftaught and not every fashion designer follows the conventional way where you go to fashion school, or you’re privileged to have an uncle who is a mentor. You can come from anywhere and learn fashion. To me, it’s the best education. You cannot learn anything if you don’t apply yourself. So, I’m always learning. Now I’m still teaching and teaching myself, you know, to do better as a fashion designer.

What do you believe are the essential elements needed to be successful as a fashion designer?

The core response to the answer to that question is that you can be successful with general knowledge. Unfortunately, it is one of those few times where people don’t take you seriously. Just because you have a degree doesn’t make you a fashion designer. Unfortunately, I sometimes get mistaken for only being a fashion designer. I went to fashion school; I have a master’s degree and I have a PhD. So, it’s like every other trade, you have to learn the trade. You must learn the elements that go into fashion. You must understand manufacturing, understand design, understand production, and all of that makes you a solid fashion designer.

What ethics are important for people involved with fashion?

It’s good to be authentic. One thing that I dislike is fake compliments in fashion. Let me go back - you see fashion is show biz. You have the fashion side and the business aspect when getting involved in the industry. Just focusing on the business side is not good, and getting lost on the fashion side is not good. You must know both. The business is necessary to sustain the fashion side, but you must give people the way. You have some fashion designers that are just about making money; that’s not authentic. You must deliver; you have to make your clientele be their best special selves. The money follows. I believe that when you perfect your craft; you do a wonderful job and get rewarded. So, I’m not in fashion because of money, but money will come because I did a good job.

How would you advise someone to dress for a job interview?

So, in a job interview, you always have to be aware of the spirit of the time they feel you are in. It makes sense to look at the defined business attire of the society where you are. So, I mean if you’re in the western world of course the suit, you know, it just depends on where you are, the business attire of the area, that’s what it is. And I also would not assume that every job interview requires you to wear a suit. This will depend on the industry. I mean, if you’re going for a construction job where you’re working outside, you may want to look technical and that’s a suitable outfit for that field. So, you want to match your industry and be aware of what’s expected in your society.

Do you prefer traditional, illustrating styles or newer digital mediums?

Traditional. And that’s a good question because there’s this divide in the fashion world where all designers are having a hard time transitioning to the digital, even the factories. You know, when we communicate with the factory where some things are made, it’s very hard sometimes for them to understand the digital and some are just purely digital where it is also hard for them to do their design. I think we must evolve. I don’t think digital is fully ready yet. But that’s the future. I really believe that in the next 10 years we’re all going to have an avatar to make a business suit where I can show you 3-D rendering of the design even before you see the suit. So that’s the future? So, I work on board. You know I still do the traditional, but I’m learning the new which is digital. Everything I wear is my design except my casual streetwear.

How would you describe your personal attire?

I have what you call the traditional style. You have the British traditional, the Italian edgy and colorful, the French style is in the middle. It has the balance where I can go traditionally or can go edgy. I focus more on classical work, I would say. I’m more on the French side where on my street wear sometimes I go edgy. That’s kind of my stuff. It’s a mixture.

Are you passionate about something apart from fashion?

Absolutely. I love architecture. I love interior design. I’m very passionate about those things. They’re also related in some type of way. How do you want men to feel when wearing your clothes? I want them to feel confident and elegant. Feel like they’re on top of the world.

Beautiful. Do you have any advice for aspiring menswear designers?

Absolutely. Take the job seriously, like any other profession. People are told to ask questions. I used to do that all the time, making appointments with key people in the industry. This has made me who I am today. Today, if I were an aspiring designer, I would say, give me a consultant. Someone who has mentored about twenty young adults from fashion school. Sometimes aspiring designers want to be designers on their terms. The issue is that they’re treating it as a hobby. You cannot succeed with general knowledge. You need special knowledge in every profession, including fashion. If you want to be a medical doctor, you go to school for 7 to 9 years to be a doctor. You want to be a lawyer; you go to law school and fashion is the same way. Not that you must go to a conventional school, but I mean, give yourself time and learn the trade. You have to understand the ins and outs, and that will allow you to progress more and will allow you to better function in this business. As for fashion, I would say this seriously, it’s a big business like any other business. The richest Europeans in the fashion world are not people that everybody knows. So it’s a very serious business. Like here in the United States, if you look at television, the television stars need tailors. I have about seven here. They tell me all the stars have told them it’s very hard to find tailors. You should go to a fashion school in order to become a tailor. There is a demand in this economy. The average tailor makes at least $100,000 a year. Those who are fast and quick get the girl they make u$150,000 a year. But there’s money involved. But nobody is doing it. Everyone working in the television industry are immigrants. You have many people who want to get into fashion. What I’ve mentioned earlier are the building blocks to become a good designer. These are the foundational things you’ve got to be able to create. Unfortunately, when some designers leave fashion school, they can’t make anything or it’s not well made. I would say to a new young designer, buy a sewing machine, get a mentor to teach you, sit under a master tailor, and get trained. I will help you on your journey.

What aspects of the fashion industry would you like to change?

Right now, when you say you’re doing true high end fashion, you will not see it globally. And the reason being is that all the factories were concentrated in Italy. Even the French built a factory in Italy. The British, with globalization, opened a factory in Asia. What happened was the quality was not good for mass production. But if you are looking for high end fashion, look to Italy. I would love some of that education. You have talent everywhere. I would love to have some factories come back to the US or Africa. Both countries have great potential for fashion. You have many talented individuals all over the world. Why not have a factory there? Why not? We have Africa. Even the African prints, the quality ones, are not made in Africa. They are made in Europe. So those are some discrepancies that I would like to be changed. We need industries in the local markets to satisfy their local needs. My friends in Africa don’t have to be coming from Europe to make clothing, especially when you have the raw material. I would like to change the industry to provide manufacturing where the source is, and it also becomes where the market is. You know, where we have big consumer fashion, which you have in the factory. We should have fashion schools there. We should also have a factory for clothing.

The Connaisseur Paris Story

“Connaisseur Paris was born out of necessity in a time when luxury meant quality and quality meant luxury. The lifestyle of the 1% could only be a dream and not a reality. Alain Chaps and Julius Ade, French Cameroonian fashion designers, set out to disrupt the men’s suit couture world—22 years later, what was a dream is now a lifestyle of choice. The goal of the brand is to become the leading high-end couture brand providing luxury anyone could afford. The men’s fashion house is spreading its tentacles far and near through the work of the two visionary founders: Alain and Julius with Connaisseur Paris stores in Paris, France; and in the United States: Houston, Atlanta, Silver Spring, Upper Marlboro and with time, many more stores.”[1]