Based out of Milan, Jeanne Labib-Lamour is a French womenswear designer who currently serves as the Design Director at clothing and homeware boutique La Double J. Her career in fashion began as a student at the Central Saint Martins School of London, where she honed her personal aesthetic philosophy through immersion in London’s vibrant art scene. The school’s emphasis on a dialogue between French couture and English eccentricity left a lasting impression on the young designer, and is a polarity which continues to inform her work today. Following graduation Labib-Lamour worked for Balenciaga sourcing colors, prints, and inspiration, and later for Giamabattista Valli, where she was a Womenswear Designer. In 2012 she was the Creative Director for Emanuel Ungaro’s Spring/Summer collection, and following that joined Elie Saab as Studio Coordinator. She relocated to Milan to work for Moncler as Senior Designer, and later joined Bally where she would act as head of Ready to Wear for over four years. Labib-Lamour’s creative sensibility can best be defined by an intuitive understanding of color, print, texture, and tone, combined with a keen eye for detail. Her designs foreground strong, flattering, feminine shapes while incorporating the influences of contemporary trends and niche archival inspiration.
We visited Jeanne at her family apartment one evening on a recent trip to Milan.
Photos KENDALL CONRAD
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Jeanne wears dress by LA DOUBLE J . Hanging pompom PENDANTS are from Mykonos, Greece, "found stopping in the middle of nowhere on the road in this amazing interior design store. They were hanging there waiting for me! The table is my grandmother’s from her house in south of France. It was a vineyard and all the workers used to have dinner together around it after the harvest. The two little blue seats are vintage '50s." Find similar below in gallery.
Where are you from, where did you grow up?
I grew up in Paris. My parents still live in the same house in Le Marais where I was born in 1982. Pure Parisienne product!
Where do you live now and what do you love most about it?
I live in Milan. It’s been 10 years now. I love the food, the Italian people, the lifestyle we have traveling every weekend to magical places, the Italian positivity and way of life, the easiness of the day-to-day routine. In Italy, everything is possible, or they will find a way to make it work!
What do you do?
I am the Design Director for the brand La Double J designing the Ready to Wear and Accessories collections.
What do you like most about your work?
Digging into historical print archives, working on colors and patterns, developing products with amazing Italian suppliers, creating a collection from scratch to the final product. I love everything about my job. Being creative makes me so happy and fufilled. I feel lucky to do this job: every day is different, full of surprises and so nourishing.
Dress by LA DOUBLE J (SIMILAR) with the IMAAN II CUFF, NABILA II HOOPS, GRANDE III RING, ROUNDED CHOKER, and GRANDITA FUSION RING. The divan is from Oak Design Milano
What inspires your work?
Everything… A movie, a piece of art, an exhibition, a trip somewhere, a piece of ceramic… My eyes are always opened, ready to process anything that talks to my creativity. I feel I have a 24/7 radar to inspiration and any kind of material could be the starting point of a collection.
What’s up next for you?
I have just finished my house in Milan which was a huge project. I would love to travel more again as it is part of my inner balance: discovering new cultures, landscapes, countries, places I have never been to. And building, renovating more houses. It is something I share with my husband: more projects, all the time!
How do you balance your busy schedule with work, family, fun?
I am a fireball! I never stop! I do everything and I always want to do more! I'm a work addict, but spending some time with my two lovely daughters Nina and Vera, going for romantic weekends with my beloved husband Paolo, partying with my friends, these are as important to me. Sometimes I should do less, but I can’t resist…
"I should probably slow down but I feel that energy calls energy. The more you do, the more you can do. But altogether I feel super balanced because I manage to do everything I love in my life."
Jeanne at her desk. The painting is a Moroccan handmade embroidered canvas by LRNCE. Her desk is a 1920s Art Deco piece by Jacques Emile Ruhlmann, and the chair is called, "Vintage Young Lady," by Paolo Rizzatto for Alias, (1990). Shop similar below. Dress by LA DOUBLE J. ESFERA CHARM RINGS, GRAND ESFERA RING and PENDANT on the CHAIN I TOGGLE CHAIN NECKLACE, with the THIN ROUNDED HOOPS, and GYRO EAR CUFF.
Life goals?
Being creative and intellectually nourished all my life. Growing old with my husband fully in love and having my two daughters happy and balanced. Family and friends are everything to me so I love to take care of them as much as I can.
Favorite hobbies?
Traveling, watching movies, and dancing!
When are you the happiest?
On holidays at my family house in the South of France with my “clan” and in Greece where I feel I had another life in the past.
What are your favorite places you've travelled to and where do you want to go next?
India last April for the 5th time…it’s one of my favorite places in the world and I feel very connected to this place. Egypt will be the next stop, a cruise down the Nile. My grandfather was Egyptian and I want to take my girls there to connect them with their roots.
Do you go back often to see your family in Egypt/France? Do you travel around there and if so, where?
Paris yes, to my family home. Provence is an important place for me too and Egypt is in the pipes for next Christmas.
What is your favorite hotel/resort in the world to stay in?
I don’t have a favorite place…I like to change and discover new spots all the time. I am a full-on travel agency. I really love organizing and discovering secret places. I organize trips for everyone: family, friends, me…I always send tips to people, and they always ask me before going anywhere. But my most recent two super recommendations are:
The Johri in Jaipur, India
Menorca Experimental in Menorca, Spain
Jeanne wears the GRAND ESFERA RING, ROUNDED CHARM CUFF, THICK ROUNDED III CUFF and MAJA II BANGLE.
What is your biggest luxury?
Being on a boat with my sailor husband, chilling with my girls in the middle of nowhere and going on holidays in a house without Wifi.
What are some of your favorite books/audiobooks, and films/shows?
I watch so many movies. Cinema is super important in my life…all my family works in the industry, and I was raised in the movies…I used to go to the movie 5 times a week in Paris. I have a thousand favorite movies. I could not choose one. Last night I went to see Elvis: OMG! Insanely beautiful, creative, and emotional.
Who is your favorite artist?
I went to see the Simon Hantai’s exhibition in Paris at the Fondation Vuitton – insanely inspiring and beautiful! Wonderful colors!
Jeanne wears LA DOUBLE J DRESS, IMAAN II HOOP EARRINGS, OBLIQUE POSTS, ROCK CHAIN BRACELET, ROCK II RING, and GYRO MIXED RING CUFF.
"Be generous and always attentive to the people you love."
Please tell me about your girls.
Nina is 6 and she is a little lady already. She has a very strong personality, and she is so smart I cannot even follow her. She speaks three languages fluently and she is like a sponge. Anything she hears, she sees, she remembers, and she processes. She blows our mind all the time. Vera is 2 and she is completely different from Nina. She is super fun, more chill and contemplative. She is very sweet and slower in her rhythms. She likes to observe and analyze. They are both sweethearts and I feel complete when we are the four of us together.
What is your super power?
I have so much energy, people often wonder where I take it from. Maybe I have super-powers, who knows…?
Jeanne wears LA DOUBLE J SHIRT and SHORTS and the DOUBLE GRANDITA HOOPS.
How do you unwind or de-stress?
ECSTATIC DANCE for sure! Traveling and a hot bath every night with candles and music when the girls are off to bed.
Where do you go dancing?
Everywhere there is a party. All around the world in every corner. Every club, bar, and party. I realized that dancing is part of my balance. I forget everything when I dance, and I simply relax. In Milan, I go to Vault, Plastic and Apophis.
Do you unplug from devices?
Yes of course…it’s really needed. Nighttime for sure and as much as I can on holidays.
How do you take good care of yourself?
Pilates once a week and a lot of cocktails and dancing!
What is your style credo?
Be yourself and stick to your personality.
Jeanne wears the ROUNDED FUSION RING, PAZ WRIST WRAP, ESFERA CHARM BRACELET and NAKED TOGGLE CHAIN BRACELET.
What is your favorite KC piece, and how do you like to style it?
I love the Nabila II and Guapa II Hoop Earrings. I wear a lot of prints and colors all the time, so those beautiful gold pieces are perfect to match and to ease the silhouette.
What KC accessories do you like to wear at night?
My Imaan II Hoop Earrings are definitely my partners in crime for my dancing nights.
Which piece from the new collection do you want the most?
I could get tempted by a Mini Khadija Bag right away!
What do you like best about KC bags or jewelry?
Their simplicity and minimalism. They are just so chic, and you can mix and match them with everything.