Kris Leroy is the American founder of Grenoble-based soft furnishings design company Chic Throws. Grenoble Life wanted to know more about her business, her background and being an Anglophone entrepreneur in France.

Grenoble Life: What sort of products does Chic Throws make?

KL: We generally create and market what the shop name says: ‘chic throws’ – designer soft furnishings like throw blankets and throw pillows for modern interior design. It is quite funny as guys haven’t a clue what a throw is but they often become our best customers! Throws are blankets that you literally throw on the end of a bed or use to dress up a sofa or daybed. They are chic in design but are functional-chic as well so that you grab them in front of the TV to keep warm in winter or by the poolside in the cool summer evenings. Many of our customers use them to dress-up tired old furniture or add the final touch to modern contemporary furniture.

GL: Tell us about some of your different brands

KL: We have an exclusive - unique piece line that we sell directly to the public on our website, bi-annually (Winter & Spring Collections).  We either sell a matching set (throw and pillow) or separately. Each collection has many different patterns, colors and textures to choose from.  We also have limited edition collections for interior decorators and e-tailers on line which we produce in a local atélier in Grenoble. All our products are designed and made in France.

All the throws are terribly chic but are backed in very soft materials to encourage cuddling and use! (Italian soft wool, satin, velvet, faux-fur….)

GL: Is there a Chic Throws ‘look’? And is there an Anglo-Saxon influence and how does this compare to classic/modern French furnishings?

KL: The chic look comes from the fabrics which speak for themselves.  It is funny that you ask this question between French and Anglo-Saxon tastes as we have just figured it all out … The British and Americans love our unique piece collection available in the boutique which highlights the quality of each fabric and the combination with stripes, motifs, and texture. However the French are more design-oriented and are falling for the new Winter 2009 collection with our brilliantly-colored faux-fur collection (see below).

Where do you acquire your materials?

KL: We use only high-end designer, upholstery fabric from Paris, Lyon, London, Milan, Barcelona and New York. The combination of the textures is orginial as well: silks, taffetas, velvets, faux-fur, brocade, chintz linen, etc. There is no polyester chez nous!

GL: Tell Grenoble Life about the design and production process. Where are Chic Throws manufactured?

KL: We are so excited as we have just confirmed local production in an atélier that makes high-end furniture for a top design company, right here in Grenoble (Le Versoud). They have lag time available for us due to the economy and the fact that they are local helps us control quality and timely deliveries to our e-tailer customers. The unique pieces are all made by local seamstresses that work for us bi-annually. Their normal jobs are spent making custom wedding dresses so you can see where our attention to detail comes from.

We are able to stay small and exclusive by outsourcing all production and logistics. By purchasing small cuts of fabric from top designers we are able to remain cost competitive whilst producing in France. We maintain a low stock for the unique pieces and produce on-demand for e-tailers.

GL: Where do you sell your products?

KL: The unique piece, bi-annual collections are available on Etsy via the Chic Throws website. We share the same hand-made values as Etsy and want to help them grow this market. All other production for interior decorators and e-tailers are created and distributed directly to our partners.

GL: Where do you come from originally and how did you end up in Grenoble?

KL: I am an American love-hostage* in the Trièves area south of Grenoble.

*my husband is French

We had studied together in France and decided to come back after living in San Francisco to continue our careers and start a family.

GL: How did Chic Throws begin?

KL: I was finishing my MBA at the business school in Grenoble and needed a final project. Instead of plunging back into the high-tech world, I wanted to do something more creative. I had taken a few sewing classes for fun and thought of the idea of throws and pillows when I couldn’t find what I wanted to buy in home decor shops.

I started making them for wedding gifts and the orders started coming in so I pursued the project through a formal business plan and we were off!

GL: Do you think Grenoble is good environment for entrepreneurs such as yourself?

KL: Let’s just say we are making it that way! Some people may have given up by now but you really need to push forth, network and don’t listen to negative criticism. The aid to entrepreneurs is such that you really have nothing to lose by trying and many of the procedures are being centralized now and made more user-friendly.

GL: Where should potential entrepreneurs in Grenoble go first?

KL: My business depends on the Chambre des Métiers as we actually produce our products and market them. If you are simply a re-seller, you would need to go to the Chambre de Commerce. The procedures are quite complicated at first but it is best to seek a mentor in your business area and not hesitate to ask for help. My personal network has been fantastic for moral support & customers (Working Womens Network of Grenoble to name one). My mantra is: ‘Patience, Persistence and Low Overhead’ (borrowed from Seth Godin).

GL: You have emphasised in your labelling that Chic Throws are ‘Made in France’ – why is this so important to you?

KL: As we are targeting a high-end customer market (at mid-range prices) the ‘Made in France’ label truly denotes luxury and quality. We imagine our customers curled up under our throws in front of their wide screen TVs while sipping French champagne (even though I don’t have a TV personally … but love to drink champagne with a good book!).

GL: Can we also visit you at your workshop?

KL: Remember what I said about ‘low overhead’ … I do have an atelier / showroom in Grenoble which is very modest compared to our products. We are busy creating on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday from 9am to 4pm. We love to have visitors and suggest you call first to ensure we are there: 39 cours de la libération (1st floor behind the traîteur). Showroom tel: 04 57 39 38 81 or mobile: 06 31 24 17 78

GL: Do you have to travel a lot to meet buyers in France and abroad?

KL: That is the part I love! I go to Paris quite frequently for buying trips and to visit the Maison & Objet fairs bi-annually. I now do a lot of sourcing via the internet from London, Lyon, Brussels, New York and other fashion capitals now that I know my suppliers well.

GL: How important has the internet been in promoting/selling your products?

KL: Very important for my e-tailer customers as they have to sell our products from a thumbnail photo which is the greatest challenge … This B2B market is just beginning for us and now we will test it for the Winter 2009 collection. As for our personal internet sales via Etsy it is slow going as we’ve chosen to not invest highly in the B2C market (i.e. I’m not about to buy an e-commerce platform and be available 24/7). We are also high-end for Etsy which is difficult in a challenging economy.

GL: What’s next for Chic Throws?

KL: We are continuing our relationship building in the B2B market to launch limited edition collections for winter. This will allow us to focus on the fun of creating unique pieces for discerning customers as well as interior decorators. I dream of hiring a colleague to help us grow the business but the next six months will indicate if this dream is achievable!

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