Designers and Artists

Each piece is a new story for Michele & Olivier Chatenet

Michele Meunier and Olivier Chatenet are the design team behind the Parisian vintage-recycling label E2. They began designing together in 1987, initially as Mariot Chanet before developing E2, a concept-label based on their obsession with making old clothes new.

Unearthing rare finds by the likes of Madame Gres, Chanel and YSL, they amalgamate and alter antique garments to produce one-off creations that play with the original design. Their reworking can involve anything from subtle changes (new buttons, added sequins) to fashioning old fabrics into entirely new pieces. The one-off allure of their creations has attracted stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna, who are secure in the knowledge that their E2 items will never be worn by anyone else. E2 itself tends to shun the conventions of fashion: although they present their clothes on the fashion calendar, they prefer to showcase in a gallery environment rather than on the catwalk. Due to the unique nature of their designs they cannot be reproduced on demand.

Vintage Vision

For nearly a decade Michele Meunier and Olivier Chatenet have been reviving forgotten couture with their vintage concept label, E2.

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