Armine Ohanyan Paris: a new-generation techno-couture Home

A native of Armenia, Armine began her studies at the Beaux-Arts (Armenia and Lyon) in design and textiles, then specialized in fashion design and technical fashion design. At the end of her training, she won 3 fashion competitions linked to new technologies, giving her the opportunity in 2017, to create her techno-couture brand for men and women, blending new technologies and traditional savoir-faire. "I work with different artisans like master folders, embroiderers or feather makers and in parallel I create new pieces that I develop using 3D printing and laser. I fuse these two somewhat opposing universes to show that new technologies and craftsmanship can cohabit " emphasizes Armine Ohanyan. All Armine Ohanyan's collections are designed using a special design technique that incorporates the interplay of materials, light, movement and 3D effects. A new way of making bespoke and limited editions with a contemporary, "wearable" approach.

The Made in France adventure

What makes Armine Ohanyan so special? 100% of her collections are made in France. Some is made in her showroom-atelier in the 4th^ème arrondissement of Paris, and the rest with manufacturing partners with different savoir-faire: 2 workshops specialized in warp and weft, and another specialized in knits. They are mainly based in the Ile de France region, enabling Armine to maintain a certain proximity, control the quality of its pieces, establish a human relationship based on trust, and minimize its environmental impact. For Armine, Made in France is first and foremost "a commitment to the local economy and it provides a guarantee of quality".

One of the challenges of Made in France as a young designer is finding workshops willing to work with small quantities, while still being able to meet the requirements of the specifications. "Thankfully, since I started 5 years ago, things have evolved a lot and we're finding more and more workshops open to working with young design. It requires a lot of research, you have to make visits, make prototypes in several workshops to compare the savoir-faire. It's also a milieu where word of mouth is important, you listen to feedback from other designers. La Maison du Savoir-Faire et de la Design helped us a lot in our search for manufacturers, thanks to its global knowledge of savoir-faire and its free platform for putting French brands and manufacturers in touch with each other."

Choosing French manufacturing also means asserting a certain positioning"Made in France is more expensive, you have to work out your margins well, find a balance in your business model, while emphasizing the quality and durability aspect"explains Armine."You first have to define your prices before even contacting a manufacturer. This is followed by a period of discussion and negotiation with the workshops, depending on the work to be carried out. It has to be profitable on both sides. prices can vary depending on the finish, it's all a question of adaptation."

However, Armine is keen to emphasize the difficulties encountered in launching her brand and the importance of being accompanied. "It may sound dreamy, we tend to see the glitter, but when you get behind the scenes, you quickly realize that it's complicated, it's very competitive and you need to have strong backs. Thankfully, the federations and DEFI support us, through aid for participation in trade shows in particular, calls for projects or support and consulting services."

As for projects, Armine Ohanyan is aiming even further ahead and plans to create partnerships with galleries, organize highly selective private sales to her customers and develop the B2B market to increase her visibility in France and internationally.

An inspiring and committed designer who shows us a new way of creating tomorrow's fashion, reconciling creativity, preservation of French savoir-faire and technology, all 100% Made in France.

Discover the collection: https://armine-ohanyan.com