Nellie Rhode, the oracle of trends whispering in the ears of brands

The style office is her. A concept that aims to pre-dictate fashion. After founding his agency in 1985, he began guiding brands so that they could offer their customers something that would definitely appeal to them. He who has long predicted the future is now focusing on the past through the publication of his memoirs. Nellie Roddy has turned this trend into a real science that can be studied, deciphered and analyzed. Being a pioneer in the field, he gave birth to the profession called “trend setter”, which today operates in the shadow of brands, and not only in the world of fashion. In their ears, his advisers, who are both artists, creatives and sociologists, use their charm, whisper their predictions of what makes the era of today and tomorrow. Directing this intensive activity, however, did not prevent Nellie Roddy from carrying out other parallel missions. Vice-chairman of the Paris delegation at the Chamber of Commerce, member of the Fashion Group, administrator of the France-Japan Exchange Commission… at the age of 81, he is still juggling roles and responsibilities. Awarded the Legion of Honor in 2009 and then promoted to the rank of Officer of Arts and Letters in 2022, he left his mark on his era. And if today it is his son, Pierre-François Le Lue, who heads the agency, whose name is now established in 19 countries, he is keeping a close eye on it. Through work Several seasons ahead (Ed. Bookins), Nellie trusts Roddy with her life and her adventures.

Madame Figaro. – You spent your life smelling tomorrow. How would you say your profession has evolved over time?
Nellie Roddy.– At first it was about impulses, colors, materials, seasons, forms. This business started with clothing and we quickly realized that ultimately the center of everything was the consumer and their purchases. This fashion-loving man also buys furniture, puts on makeup, treats himself to accessories… All this. lifestyle. The profession started in fashion, but very quickly it opened up to all other worlds. I myself, feeling this, forced the agency to develop in this direction.

How did you develop this fashion opening into other areas?
I had to bring in sociologists. Clothes are also a language. In the morning, when we get dressed, our first image is what we give ourselves. This is what we want to convey to others as well. This image has feedback for me and others. The same applies to housing construction, which has also become a reception area. So sociology has given me a lot. He really changed the way I work in my head.

Do trends influence creativity?
If you follow them, you also need to know how to protect your identity. Some brands have completely lost me because I can’t find the essence of them. I was watching the Saint Laurent fashion show the other night and I was saying to myself. “Here we are, it’s perfect, a real return to basics.” The story told itself: the safari jacket, the belt, the color palette… And this is still very relevant. It’s up to the creators to respond to the trend. They look for inspiration and study the archives, but this is not enough to keep up with the times. Everyone reforms their own universe, we must not miss this backbone.

You make a lot of circular motions with your hands when talking about trend. Is there an effect of this gear like a car connection?
Yes, cars that start. I like this image of a loop because we start with a small element that acts as a link and gradually integrates with other links. Like a storm.

Who decides the trends? You mentioned all these actors, creators, agencies… Who? “THE:» a step forward?
In fact, everything is a source of inspiration: music, films, exhibitions… All this forms the circle. When we show up brain storm, we talk together about what is exciting us at the moment. We build the trend with the collective unconscious. What I call the collective unconscious is everyone’s sensibility, common. Creative people have a hypersensitivity that allows them to feel things. So when we end up with a group of ten, it’s five or six who bring the same impact. Something is happening here, and as the director of the agency, I make the decision to rush to the beginning of this boil. We plow this furrow. Look, another loop.

Today‘Are we still following trends today?
The consumer has become very individual. And this, in fact, is a minimization of the trend. He demands something that is made for him, that is highly personalized and at the same time takes products that are ultimately key. It’s a paradox. But it is true that today’s consumers assert their individuality more than in my years.