Claire is a musician and singer, a real « folk girl »; so, quite naturally, she took part in an improvised casting on Facebook. She comes all the way from Brussels, but we met her in Paris where her family lives. Fan of Comptoir, she was delighted to try on the first pieces from our new collection… The result? Two cute and refreshing looks, in her image, and as a bonus, an interview!
Hello Claire, can you tell us a bit about you…
I’m 27, I live in Brussels, I’m a musician, guitar player and singer. I’m involved in a folk project called Clare Louise. I write the songs in English. It’s doing well, we do concerts, there’s a lot of things going on at the moment!
Do you play on your own or in a band?
It depends, it’s a flexible band, sometimes I go solo, guitar and singing, sometimes two or three musicians accompany me. It depends on the configuration. When we play on a big stage, we come full steam to defend our project!
Do you any concerts planned?
This summer will be a bit quiet. We have a date in the Brussels Summer Festival, it’s a festival which takes place across the whole of Brussels from August 10 to 19 with several podiums in the city. We are playing at the Magic Mirrors on August 19 in the Parc Royal. We also have a short tour planned for this winter.
Comptoir des Cotonniers, in stores and online:
- printed blouse
- patchwork jeans
- leather and suede boots (available in tobacco color and in black)
- large « Herring Bone » printed tote bag
Belt: Comptoir des Cotonniers F/W 2011-12 collection
Jacket: model’s own
Besides that, I work for the Ministry of Culture for the francophone part of the country, for the Wallonia-Brussels Federation to be precise, in the music department, more specifically jazz music. I deal with subsidies for the music sector. I process subsidies files for artists, their creations, their albums, their gigs, the festivals.
How did you get the idea to take part in our Facebook casting?
I follow Comptoir on Facebook because I have been very fond of the brand for several years, and I saw the news on my wall. I don’t usually enroll for that kind of thing, but as you were looking for a folkie girl, I said to myself, why not send a picture of myself? A folkie girl is a good definition of what I am!
How long have you been wearing Comptoir?
For a long time! With my mother and sisters, we even took part in the competition for Comptoir’s album, Mothers and Daughters, with Béatrice Ardisson, released in 2005. We were selected, so we are on track 3 of the album! We were already interested in the brand at that time. Comptoir is a family affair, we are very fond of the brand.
Which latest Comptoir piece did you fall in love with?
Two dresses, the yellow dress with white polka dots, and the two-tone blue and grey dress both from this summer.
Generally speaking, is fashion important for you? What about on stage?
I have always thought that when you give a performance, it’s is also a visual show, so I really don’t want to arrive on stage with jeans and sneakers! You have to make an effort to look good, for me, it’s really important to be well dressed on stage.
Comptoir des Cotonniers, in stores and online:
- flowing printed « Stardust » dress
- leather and suede boots (available in tobacco color and in black)
Belt: Comptoir des Cotonniers F/W 2011-12 collection
Bag: model’s own
How would you describe your style?
Dresses! You can wear them casually or more formally for this evening if you like to dress up. I’m all for dresses! I love the Liberty, the leather boots, the Peter Pan collars. I like to slip on a pair of jeans at the weekend to be a bit more cool…
Besides music and fashion, I hear you are also a fan of Brussels…
Well, Brussels was really love at first sight! I came here a bit by chance to finish my studies, I did not know what it would be like, I had a crush on that city which is both a capital and a village. It’s a really dynamic metropolis, there’s loads of things going on, lots of concerts, exhibitions, people, but on a human scale. There is a village dimension in this city, where people take the time to live, they are not speed, they are relaxed… It’s really cool while combining the buzz of a capital city.
It’s also full of charm, it has a fantastic architectural patrimony, it’s full of Art Nouveau… There are real treasures there. You really have to search and sift through, wander and take the time to tame it.
And it is a super cosmopolitan city, you can hear all the languages in the streets… I could talk about it for hours! I am really in love with this city
Which festivals can you recommend for this summer?
There are lots besides the Brussels Summer Festival! The Dour festival from July 12 to 15, with all today’s kinds of music, rock, electro… It’s one of the main festivals in Belgium with the Werchter festival at the end of June. There is also the Esperanzah festival that I really like, the 1st weekend of August, it’s world music, folk, it’s very friendly, the atmosphere is great. I played in this festival 2 years ago, they give you a really fantastic welcome.
If you go to Belgium this summer, you know what to do!
Discover Clare Louise’s albums on her website and on Facebook. Happy discovery!
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