The RA+RE World of Music and Fashion

Conceived by the French, but born in NYC, RA+RE speaks to all the beautiful, smart ladies in the club. Fueled by female power of an informed, supportive and inclusive nature, the record-fashion label (and soon-to-be concept café) seeks to nurture girlfriends in the scene, and have them looking elegantly cool while dancing to great music—namely minimal house—too.

“The ideal girl is creative, dynamic, active, loves music and she does not reject boys. RA+RE isn’t about feminism that excludes anybody—male or female,” said co-founder Clara Rohmer aka Rohmi, 26, from Paris’ Montmartre. “The real impetus behind this brand was that so many girls in the scene don’t have other girlfriends to collaborate with. The idea is to bring people together, not push them away.”

While Clara had the original idea for RA+RE, it was thanks to two fortuitous female relationships forged that the idea got off the ground. First came the natural encounters with the only other girl at NYC’s Sheik and Beik parties: Jessie Dib, 28, a fashion and jewelry designer who hails from Caracas, Venezuela. Jessie became the fashion architect behind the operation. Next along came Claire Abitbol, 30, a fellow Frenchwoman, whose connections brought strength to the concept.

“Claire was always a party girl, very social and a little bit older than me. She knows so many people and is always fun,” said Clara. “We just wanted to really make this project about girlfriends.”

RA+RE was conceived in October 2013, and its first EP launched in June 2014. The clothing brand launched a year and a half after the first record. Sophisticated, modern and tasteful, the fashion pieces—much like RA+RE’s music—are simple, yet sexy and function equally on the dancefloor as they do out for a coffee or dinner. The balance is perfectly executed, underpinned with a pragmatism often overlooked in fashion: everything is quite simply built by and for girls who like to dance. The clothes are comfortable, bags are easily zippered shut and everything looks great with a pair of sneakers.

“Girls in this scene—we looked at them and created a style around them that is elegant, comfortable, and sexy—but not vulgar!” added Jessie.

Though the clothing line just launched for Fall 2015, the project already caught the eye of French politician Arnaud Montebourg, the Former Minister of Minister of Industrial Renewal, who awarded RA+RE with the Baby Brand Fashion Award 2016. A wake of attention, and TV interviews ensued, giving the brand much leverage.

“Though it’s rolling out on its own timeline, the fashion and concept store aspects have always been a part of the original plan,” added Clara.

While RA+RE is certainly not the first fashion/music crossover to ever grace the planet, it’s likely the first to be run by fashion party girls who have keen eyes for and educations in business. Clara, who has been involved in the French electro scene since 2003, originally went to NYC for a Stuart Weitzman internship as she was wrapping up a MBA in luxury brand management in Paris. Jessie is armed with a fashion design degree from Savannah College of Art and Design and Claire studied at EBS (European Business School). Their combined educations, consistent branding, along with a somehow rare, feminine approach to collaboration that hinges on kindness and exclusion, are real keys to their success. It certainly helps that all three of them are pretty too, though that also goes to show the extent to which they live their brand.

“The way that we promote RA+RE also makes it unique,” says Clara. “It’s a whole story and a whole concept that we’re selling. We’re not selling it as just a fashion brand. We’ve seen many DJs do t-shirt or accessory lines, goodies, or in some rare cases some pieces but it’s never been about a ready-to-wear line. We developed a lifestyle brand for girls in the underground scene.”

When asked who the ideal faces of RA+RE would be, Jessie and Clara were both quick to cite Margaret Dygas, Sonja Monnear, Laurine and Valeria Croft as examples.

“When these women play, they build a story and transport you. It’s not just dance—you really feel them while you move,” says Clara. “They’re all physically beautiful women, quite sophisticated and with strong auras.”

“All our pieces are named after female DJs actually,” adds Jessie. “The Yasmin coat is after our DJ friend in Berlin. The body suit is the Margaret, and so on.”

And now that RA+RE Records and RA+RE Clothing are in full swing, what’s next for the trio?

“A concept store. The idea is to create a House of RA+RE in Paris that serves as a coffee shop, record store, and place to buy and explore fashion,” said Clara. “We’re also working on our individual, me with my music and playing more gigs—Jessie with her jewelry brand.

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