Les Halles

A popular saying goes, “the family that prays together, stays together”. But that’s limited to a religion.  What about fashion? Can that saying be true to fashion as well? It may be true but I would rephrase it with, “The family that creates together, stays together”.

This saying is true about a famous clothing line started in the year 1979, Les Halles. For people who have grown through these years, I’m sure you can reminisce of the good old days when you used to love wearing those jeans back then. This line is no other than Les Halles.

Originally, Les Halles, a denim-based clothing line  was established by a couple named Stephen and Marlene Baum. The line has captured the hearts of denim lovers who adored the line’s styles such as: the Baggie Jean, Paper bag Jean, Shooting Tuck, Annie Hall, and the zip leg Marilyn. Due to personal reasons, the couple decided to close the company despite its success. Stephen Baum went on to work as a head designer for US brands like Gasoline, a division of Guess, Jordache, and American Eagle Outfitters. Marlene Baum, on the other hand, went on to take care of her daughter, Remy whom she gave birth in 1985 and her son, Dylan who was born in 1990.

After so many years, their daughter, Remy, grew up to be a young lady in her 20’s. Unexpectedly, something happened. When Remy was 23, she was helping her mom clean her closet, when she stumbled upon a pair of Les Halles Baggie Jeans. She put it on and loved it and immediately convinced her parents to bring Les Halles back to the market. She believed that the jeans are perfect for the trendy, chic and modern women of today’s generation.

The rest is fashion history. The three of them became partners. Indeed, the saying is true to this family. They re-launched Les Halles, with Stephen and Marlene working on the line’s creative aspects and Remy on the marketing side. Marlene believes that fashion should not only be for the wealthier society but, for the masses as well.  Which is why they sell their jeans at $ 120 and below. With such a price, anybody can afford to buy it.  Les Halles provides  fit, quality fabric, trendy and amazing designs.

With the line’s re-launching, the family hopes to bring great denim collections such as the following:

1.  Baggy Boy Jean.  This is for women who love fashion but also loves her own personal style. It provides her with a trendy and comfy look. These jeans comes in was four washes — Medium, Dark, Vintage Bleach and Dirty is — and is sold at $120.

2. Denim Straw Legging. Leggings have already existed for the past generations but Les Halles incorporated fresh and modernized designs. Its long and skinny. But it keeps you feeling at ease and comfortable while wearing it.  It comes in two washes — Dark/Medium and Black and is also sold at $120.

3. Boy Jean Short. Because of its rips and holes, the boy jean short  is suitable for women who loves vintage. But at the same time, it’s trendy and sexy. It’s available in two washes  Medium and Vintage Bleach and is sold for as low as $62.

4. Zach. This stands for the shorter version of the Boy Jean Short.  It spells fun while displaying a vintage look. It’s available in Medium Wash and Vintage Bleach Wash which sells for $62.

5. Straw Ankle Legging. This is a legging which displays a woman’s curve in the hips and waist while making any woman feel comfy and relaxed. It comes in a Dark/Medium and Black Wash and sells for $108.

6. Boy Jean Capri. This is similar to Boy Jeans but they only differ in its seams.  It also comes in a Medium Wash, Vintage Bleach Wash and Dirty Wash and sells for $108.

7. Olivia “The Low Rise Ankle Jean”. This is named after Olivia Newton John’s character from the movie, “Grease”.  Any woman wearing it feels totally sexy inside and out. It’s available in Ice and Cauliflower washes and is sold at $108.

Aside from jeans, the clothing line also includes flannels, shirt, and sweatshirts.

A renowned author, Felicia C. Sullivan, started wearing the Les Halles boy jeans ever since her best friend banned her from wearing her sweatpants. She loved it from the very first time she started wearing it. Sullivan is the author of The Sky Isn’t Visible from Here, which has been featured in Vanity Fair, Elle, USA Today, Redbook, Newsday, and The Washington Post.

Alexa Chung, a British TV personality, who continually wows American audiences through her very own MTV show,   wore a Les Halles’ Vintage Paint Splattered T-shirt on her debut on the cover of Women’s Wear Daily.

Les Halles is not only concerned about making the company profitable. It’s also for other people. They joined other designers like William Rast, LaRok, Siwy and many others in a previously held event called “Shop for Haiti”, in order to raise funds for earthquake victims in Haiti, wherein  100% of the funds go to Unicef.

With Marlene and Stephen’s expertise and Remy’s hard work; Les Halles’ future will surely be bigger than ever!