The fashion world couldn’t get enough of these 86-year-old grandparents who have become the models of their grandson’s clothing brand.
Marie-Louise and René Glémarec are 85 and 86 years old, respectively, and they’re proving that it’s never too late to try something new. The couple has become the unofficial brand ambassadors for Egon Lab, a unisex brand that launched in 2019. It is the brainchild of their grandson, Florentin Glémarec, and his real-life partner and the brand’s co-founder, Kévin Nompeix.
Kevin tells the story of how it all started in an interview with Vogue.
“The story is rather funny,” he began. “They were our first supporters and always pushed us to outdo ourselves. We had them come to our studio one evening so they could see the collection, and on a whim we decided to dress them in Egon Lab, and the magic was instantaneous. They were standing before us, complementing each other, in love…. [It was] timeless. It’s like we were looking at ourselves in the mirror, many years later.”
Florentin and Kevin knew that Marie-Louise and René would be the perfect representatives of their brand for the Paris Fashion Week.
Donning their coordinating printed coats, the octogenarian models became instant celebrities when they arrived at the venue. According to Kevin, it was “general hysteria” the moment the “it couple” appeared.
Photographers began calling out to them and everyone wanted a selfie with the punkish duo. It might have felt overwhelming as they were new to these types of events, but they handled it really well and had a great time.
“It was a really new experience for them,” Kevin said.
Marie-Louise and René instantly captured the hearts of fashion fans, and they were delighted when the new celebrities returned in coordinating outfits a few days later. This time, the pair donned sophisticated plaid outfits.
Every time the couple attends a show wearing a new outfit, people just couldn’t get enough of them.
“They are welcomed like rock stars,” Kevin said. “The photographers shout their names, we can hear the crowd saying: ‘Incredible,’ ‘Darling, it’s gonna be us!’ People scramble to have a selfie with them.”
After one fashion show in Paris, security guards had to stop onlookers from rushing towards Marie-Louise and René. The latter, however, isn’t bothered too much by his newfound fame because he “loved being in front of the crowd”.
The couple models like a pro but surprisingly, neither of them had any background in fashion. Marie-Louise used to work in a post office and René was in the navy.
Now that they’ve become somewhat popular in the world of fashion, the couple says that they are just enjoying the experience.
“We feel like stars, but we promise you that it won’t go to our heads,” René said while his wife added, “You know, at our age it no longer goes to our heads.”
As for Florentin and Kevin, they are humbled by the public’s reaction to Egon Lab’s ambassadors.
“To be honest with you, we didn’t expect such a craze around them. We just wanted them to be part of our brand history. Today, we can never thank them enough for having contributed to the emergence of the brand,” Kevin said.
For the stylish couples out there, Marie-Louise and René are truly the definition of goals!