Nathalie, Elora collection manager

Who is Nathalie Guittat, Collection Director at Elora?

- Can you tell our readers a little about yourself?

I was very attracted to the artistic side of things, I used to draw, sculpt, embroider and even knit... but I didn't think you could make a living from your passion, so I remained fairly pragmatic in my choice of studies: scientific baccalaureate, HEC prep school and business school.

However, during an internship in my final year, I discovered the world of department stores and a job I'd never done before: fashion buyer. And ... I loved the job, which combined the rigour of management with the sharpness of negotiation and a taste for fashion. I was an assistant in the fashion accessories department... in other words, everything a young woman who loves clothes, shoes and everything that goes with them could dream of!

I'd found my calling and decided to make it my speciality. I took a^{post-graduate} course at the IAE in Grenoble, preparing me for the purchasing function... and then I moved back to Paris and one job followed another. Galeries Lafayette again, a position as a large import buyer at Lee Cooper, where I travelled a lot and started to learn the textile business and the different sourcing methods, a position as product manager at Armand Thiery, where I lived through the golden years of the chain stores, then group manager in children's fashion at Tout Compte fait, where I managed style and purchasing. And then a new life far from the hustle and bustle of Paris, during which time I set up my own company, Billes et Marelle, a line of children's household linen. In 2009, I was asked to take over as head of collections at Elora, then Georges Franck, awomen's ready-to-wear company that sold in meetings.

Fashion? It's all about curiosity!

- How do you find the new trends each season that will enhance the Elora wardrobe?

It's a question of 'sense' and curiosity. I love fashion and its constant quest for new materials, shapes and colours. I love touching fabrics, spotting the right prints and mixing clothes. I'm always on the lookout, wherever I am I take photos, a shop window, a detail, an atmosphere... I'm inspired by what I see when I go shopping, in France or abroad, when I take part in trade shows, when I visit our suppliers, but also by what I read in the women's press or what I look for on the internet. We have access to so much inspiring information these days, videos on Youtube, photos on Instagram... fashion is everywhere!

In the shoes of Nathalie, Elora collection director

- how does 24 hours with Nathalie Guittat, Elora's collection director, sound?

24 hours is a long time! ... I'd like to tell you that I get up at 6am to do 1 hour's sport, but in reality I'm an epicurean and not very sporty... I take the time to have a good breakfast while reading the news on my tablet and I go for a walk with Ginger, our English setter. Shower, light make-up, as I don't like dressing up, then I choose my shoes! They determine my outfit for the day, which always makes my daughters laugh a lot... I drop the youngest off at school, I have 3 daughters, the other 2 are students and independent. I'm lucky enough to drive through the countryside to get to Elora's house. When I arrive at work around 8.45am, I deal with the priority emails due to the time difference; we have a lot of different partners in our business, suppliers of fabrics and accessories, manufacturers for the garments, photographers, printers, transporters... and we communicate mainly by email throughout the day.

And then it's off to fittings, product fine-tuning, discussions on the choice of a colour range or print, new product ideas to develop or partnerships to build, negotiations on prices and deadlines, order confirmations, budgets to complete... or building the catalogue or organising the next fashion show.

I have an efficient and versatile team to help me with all these tasks. Around 1pm, for comfort and speed, we eat together in the office. This break gives us a chance to talk about our lives and get to know each other better, so we can bond.

I travel a lot, but not necessarily on a weekly basis; it may be for a trade fair, a shopping trip, a photo shoot or a trip to the production sites.

Around 7pm, I go home to rejuvenate with my family, because the evening meal together is essential for me. After dinner, I like to watch a series or a film, then go on Instagram or look at the new private sales (yes, I'm a shopper!). One evening a week, I have a floor barre class, which is a discipline that combines Pilates and ballet. And every fortnight, I plan an outing with friends, a tête-à-tête with a girlfriend, a concert or a cinema... it's important to do things for yourself.

Now you know everything!

Focus on the Elora style

- If you had to describe Elora's style in three words, what would they be?

Original, classy and well cut, because fashion is beautiful if it enhances and doesn't disguise !

- What is your favourite piece from the Elora dressing room for the Spring Summer 2017 season?

The Nimbe shirt, because I love its slightly shaped fabric and its drape, its texture is very pleasant. There's something timeless about it and yet it's very fashionable with its cut-out shoulders. But I also really like the Nation dress, which I feel comfortable in, the chic Nagari jogging suit, in keeping with the athleisure trend, the Nitrate top and theNaiade jacket, for their dinner jacket spirit... As you can see, my wardrobe is often black and khaki..

- And finally... what kind of Fashion Victim are you?

I'm going to surprise you but I don't think I'm a fashion victim... I love fashion but I don't think I'm a slave to it. And maybe at my age - I'm 49 - you have a bit of self-esteem and you don't want to impose on others what bothers you.

But when you think about it, even as a young woman, I didn't want fashion at any price. I like beautiful things and I think I have good taste. I want the Elora woman to be modern but not ridiculous!

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