Latest news with #Angora
Fashion Network
11-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Womenswear label La Française drives growth for French knitwear specialist Solfin
Womenswear label La Française, launched in 2020 with Christine Phung as creative director, will account by the end of the year for 10% of the revenue of French knitwear specialist Solfin. A strong contribution to Solfin's growth, alongside that of the producer's other brand, Maison Solfin, and door-to-door specialist Magasins Bleus. In 2018, when Ludovic Samson bought Solfin, based in Villers- Bocage, near Caen, he was determined to continue to foster its nearly century-old expertise. 'It all began with a breeder of Angora rabbits who would send his sons out on their bikes to sell knitwear, then came the mail order business, in the 1970s,' said Samson. Unlike other manufacturers, who set up their own brands while chiefly producing for their clients, Solfin only generates 20% of its revenue via third-party manufacturing, mostly for high-end and luxury labels. 'We have more requests than we can handle,' Samson told Maison Solfin and La Française are owned by the Financière des Eparses group, which currently generates a revenue of €20 million, split equally between Maison Solfin and Magasins Bleus. The former, previously known simply as Solfin, is the group's long-standing proprietary brand, targeting a senior clientèle with 300 or so apparel items, all of them made in France. Magasins Bleus is a door-to-door organisation with a fleet of 100 trucks which visit retirement homes by appointment, selling a complete range of apparel for a senior clientèle, with products by Maison Solfin and other brands like Armor-Lux and Sloggi. Different approach with La Française In 2020, the group launched a new label, La Française, designed to reach a younger clientèle. 'It was both a deliberate and necessary decision to go looking for a new clientèle,' said Samson. 'Our knitwear is by no means aimed at a restricted target, since a crew-neck sweater can be equally worn at 30 and at 70 years of age. But La Française has a different approach to fits, more modern colours, and more feminine looks. This is what Christine Phung does for us,' he added. La Française's products carry the 'France Terre Textile' label (identifying products that are 75% produced in France), and its range includes about 80 different items made of 100% natural, recyclable and Oeko-Tex -certified fabrics. 'Our idea is to sell responsible, sustainable and ethical fashion,' said Samson, adding that, by selling through its e-shop, La Française can do without retail intermediaries, selling at pricepoints that are 'affordable for French-made products.' La Française tops, dresses, gilets and skirts sell for €150 to €250, while Maison Solfin prices range from €120 to €200. Having its own production unit, La Française can even afford to work on a pre-order basis. The label is able to poll existing customers about their item and colour preferences, and customers can pre-order products that will be manufactured and delivered in six to eight weeks. 'We're really keen to design products with a high emotional value. We're aiming for impulse purchases, even if the products aren't delivered in 24 hours,' said Samson. The group has 80 employees, including 30 in the local factory producing sustainable apparel, and is pioneering the introduction of environmental labelling, having taken part in its trial. 'The [eco-score] labelling is very complicated for consumers,' said Samson, who believes that sourcing natural recyclable fabrics optimised for this kind of labelling is problematic. 'There is no cotton, and not enough quality wool in France, so we import from Italy, knowing that 70% of that wool comes from New Zealand. Conversely, there are polyester fabrics that have travelled for 8,000 km but have been produced we know not how, while in France we have a statutory minimum wage. I think we'd have had less difficulty making consumers understand this kind of criterion."
Daily Mail
25-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Take a look inside this South African game reserve with 28 bedroom suites which could be yours for £9.7m
A private game reserve in Karoo, South Africa is up for sale for £9,774,882, or around $13,000,000, via Sotheby's International Realty. Magic Hills is a privately owned game reserve stretching around 40,000 acres, with the furthest ends of the property reaching into both the western and northern Cape. The expansive reserve has a number of on-site accommodation options for guests, including 28 bedroom suites across five luxurious lodges. Across the different accommodation hubs, the site has 28 bathrooms, 17 reception rooms and two kitchens. The buyer of the reserve will be living in close quarters to the Big Five - lions, leopards, black rhino, elephants and buffalo. Merino sheep, Angora goats and dairy cattle are also raised on site and the property offers visitors panoramic vistas and plains. As well as offering guests envy-inducing luxury, conservation remains a priority on the reserve. Some of the animals in the reserve have been repatriated from zoos. One of the most breath-taking options for accommodation on the reserve is Sky Lodge, which sits 980 metres above sea-level. Sky Lodge has seven bedroom suites, a large living room with hardwood floors, a bar and a pool and terrace to soak up the views and wildlife from. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors provide panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Internally, Sky Lodge had been decorated in tones of brown and beige, in keeping with the outdoor setting. Kim Cooper, a real estate professional at Sotheby's International Realty, said: 'Sky lodge is surely one of the most stunning lodges on the continent.' Magic Hills is also home to ILanga Manor House, a traditional lodge with Cape Dutch architecture, 10 bedroom suites, a pool, library and lush green lawns. Elsa's Farmhouse, a restored off-grid four-bedroom solar-panelled lodge, also comes with the site. Laid-back Elsa's Farmhouse has its own private pool and boma area. Wow factor: Sky Lodge has a luxurious but laid-back vibe with neutral interiors Views: The buyer of Magic Hills will enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding area Before coming under new ownership, the site was previously used for hunting and farmland. The reserve is now owned by Erik and Alexandra Kovacs, who have spent more than a decade bringing the overgrazed and degraded former farmland back to life, at a cost of over £8million. The Karoo, which is around a 90-minute helicopter ride from Cape Town, is a rural, semi-arid mountainous area reportedly boasting some of the most unique flora and fauna on the continent. Marketing firm JamesEdition said it had seen the highest interest for Magic Hills from prospective buyers in the US and South Africa, but added that interest from potential buyers in Britain had also been strong. How to find a new mortgage Borrowers who need a mortgage because their current fixed rate deal is ending, or they are buying a home, should explore their options as soon as possible. Quick mortgage finder links with This is Money's partner L&C > Mortgage rates calculator > Find the right mortgage for you What if I need to remortgage? Borrowers should compare rates, speak to a mortgage broker and be prepared to act. Homeowners can lock in to a new deal six to nine months in advance, often with no obligation to take it. Most mortgage deals allow fees to be added to the loan and only be charged when it is taken out. This means borrowers can secure a rate without paying expensive arrangement fees. Keep in mind that by doing this and not clearing the fee on completion, interest will be paid on the fee amount over the entire term of the loan, so this may not be the best option for everyone. What if I am buying a home? Those with home purchases agreed should also aim to secure rates as soon as possible, so they know exactly what their monthly payments will be. Buyers should avoid overstretching and be aware that house prices may fall, as higher mortgage rates limit people's borrowing ability and buying power. How to compare mortgage costs The best way to compare mortgage costs and find the right deal for you is to speak to a broker. This is Money has a long-standing partnership with fee-free broker L&C, to provide you with fee-free expert mortgage advice. Interested in seeing today's best mortgage rates? Use This is Money and L&Cs best mortgage rates calculator to show deals matching your home value, mortgage size, term and fixed rate needs. If you're ready to find your next mortgage, why not use L&C's online Mortgage Finder. It will search 1,000's of deals from more than 90 different lenders to discover the best deal for you. Be aware that rates can change quickly, however, and so if you need a mortgage or want to compare rates, speak to L&C as soon as possible, so they can help you find the right mortgage for you.
South China Morning Post
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
These babies aren't real? Studio's ultra-realistic film and TV props
Published: 4:13pm, 13 Feb 2025 In a workshop outside Paris in France, Celine Lallement stitched hairs into a silicone baby's skull – the latest creation from a studio specialised in making ultra-realistic infants for the film and television industries. Founded in 2008 and based in a north Paris suburb, Cinebébé, or Cinebaby, produces props that can take more than six weeks of crafting before they are sent to production sets. 'It's mohair, it comes from the Angora goat. It's finer than adult hair, so it imitates baby hair very well,' Lallement explained as she carefully inserted each strand. At one point, she spotted a problem. 'There are two hairs in the same follicle, that won't work,' she said before using tweezers to correct the mistake. A mould for baby prop arms created by Cinebaby. Photo: AFP The mould of a baby's head, the second step in the creation of baby props for cinema and television productions. Photo: AFP The head and legs of a baby prop. Founded in 2008, Cinebaby is a studio specialised in making ultra-realistic props of infants for film and television productions. Photo: AFP
Express Tribune
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Paris workshop delivers prop babies for films
PARIS: In a workshop outside Paris, Celine Lallement stitched hairs into a silicone baby's skull – the latest creation from a studio specialised in making ultra-realistic infants for the film and TV industries. Founded in 2008 and based in a north Paris suburb, Cinebebe produces props that can take more than six weeks of crafting before they are sent to production sets. "It's mohair, it comes from the Angora goat. It's finer than adult hair, so it imitates baby hair very well," Lallement explained as she carefully inserted each strand. At one point, she spotted a problem. "There are two hairs in the same follicle, that won't work," she said before using tweezers to correct the mistake. Her latest work is set to be used in a film shoot in England, according to Justine Ray Le Solliec, who co-manages the special effects workshop. With slightly red cheeks, tiny veins under the eyelids, skin folds and pores, it's hard to tell the difference from a real child. "You can expect to pay around 700 euros ($726) to rent a baby for a day's shoot and between 9,000 euros and 15,000 euros to buy one, depending on the time required to make it," said Ray Le Solliec. From 26-week premature infants to 18-month-old toddlers, Cinebebe's miniature mannequins are used in around 100 productions every year, mostly in France and Europe. Their work has been glimpsed in hit Netflix series Emily in Paris, as well as the blockbuster 2024 French film The Count of Monte Cristo. The company uses silicone castings for babies, but also creates pregnant bellies, breasts, placentas, foetuses, umbilical cords, and even life-sized pelvis models that are used for birth scenes. "In France, regulations prohibit newborns under three months old from participating in film shoots," Ray Le Solliec explained. "For infants aged three months to three years, filming time is limited to one hour per day, which can be challenging when multiple scenes involve children." Beyond regulations, their business has accelerated since the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. "It helped us because babies were not allowed on set during that period," she added. Post-pandemic, their revenue has doubled every year, though there was a "slight slowdown" in 2024 compared to 2023, with a growth rate of 35 per cent. The next step is expanding internationally, with a London office planned in 2025. Their production goal is to develop babies with open eyes as well as larger babies for stunt scenes. afp
