The Paris Minimalist Who Designs (and Defines) Effortless Dressing.
CO's Stephanie Danan talks American sportswear, French street style, vintage Levis, and clothes as a shield for city life.
Jess Graves: Your website describes your work at CO as “minimal and essential clothing.” Tell me something about your background that’s not in your website bio.
Stephanie Danan: People are surprised I spent 15 years developing and producing films. No one knows I specifically developed comedies.
JG: That is so unexpected; I love it. How did that influence the work you do now?
SD: Working in comedy influenced me not to take myself too seriously. Comedy is also the expression of true human observation. It trained my eye to observe.
JG: So why the pivot to women’s RTW?
SD: I grew up watching my mom design. I grew up in design studios and showrooms. It came naturally to me.
JG: I feel like our mothers are so many of our original muses. Where was your Mom working then, and what kind of work did she do?
SD: She had her own line in the 80’s. My father had a showroom with brands like Jean Paul Gauthier, Marithe Francois Girbaud, Chevignon, and Fiorrucci. The designers would have dinner at my house. There was a lot of fashion around me.
JG: Jumping off the idea of not taking yourself too seriously, I feel like CO does a great job of that — it’s evocative and pragmatic but not heavy-handed. How would you describe your personal style?
SD: Minimalist, but with unique silhouettes. I love interesting shapes, but style them in a pared back manner.
JG: You recently relocated to Paris from Los Angeles. How do the cities you’ve called home influence your work?
SD: It is a huge influence. My brand is an extension of my personal experiences, growth, exploration, and curiosity. As you said, I’ve recently moved to Paris, and it's influencing everything in my life right now. There is an underlying “American Sportswear meets Parisian chic” in the way I dress and direct the collections. Los Angeles and Paris are so different. The weather and lifestyle are opposites in these two cities. When designing in Los Angeles, I’m naturally more focused on warm weather, roomier silhouettes, and less structure in the clothes. In Paris, the direction feels just as effortless, but the fabrics and silhouettes have more structure. They feel more like city shields.
JG: CITY SHIELDS! That is exactly how I feel about my wardrobe choices since moving to New York from Atlanta. Now that you’re in Paris, how would you describe the style of the women who live there?
SD: Effortless. To be effortless, your look has to have one element. Is it a red lip, a beautiful belt, a great accessory, a great piece of jewelry? You have to pick one. That is key.
JG: We have a lot of readers who live and/or travel to Paris often. Share a recommendation. What’s your favorite local restaurant? What do you like to eat there?
SD: I have two favorites in my neighborhood: Le Bar des Pres for amazing sushi or le Petit Lutetia for great classic French food. I love sushi, and the truffle oil spinach salad is my favorite. At le Petit Lutetia, I love the old-fashioned steak au poivre with French fries.
JG: What’s your go-to look for going out to dinner?
SD: A tuxedo pant with a slightly oversized white cotton shirt, or a pair of vintage Levis with a white t-shirt and our classic CO double-breasted blazer.
JG: Let’s talk about inspiration and culture. What album, playlist, or song has captivated you lately?
SD: Music is essential to my creative process and daily life. I walk a lot in Paris, and I’m always listening to music. Recently, I’ve been listening to Cleo Sole. I’m also really into Ben Bohmer, and I love the song he did with Lykki Li.
JG: I love Ben Bohmer too! Have you seen any inspiring exhibits lately? Do you feel like cultural intake influences your work?
The latest show at the Pineault Foundation is gorgeous. The last show that blew me away was the Rothko exhibit at the Louis Vuitton Foundation. Art, music, and film all influence me. They are great reminders to stay connected to oneself and help me center. It’s never so much about how they influence the direction of a collection as about the importance of staying and feeling centered.
JG: Tell me about launching your line …and where you see it going in 2025.
SD: I launched CO over 12 years ago, as I was becoming disenchanted by the film industry, which I had worked in for 15 years. It started with a simple idea: Can I create a luxury brand that speaks to real women, from the silhouette to the price point to the wearability to the effortlessness real and practical women need? With my move to Paris and my creative team in Europe I see the brand going more global. From a product standpoint, we are pushing the silhouette further. There are a lot of products out there, and many look the same, so we challenge ourselves by asking how we can make CO more unique but keep it universal, too.
“To be effortless, your look has to have one element. Is it a red lip, a beautiful belt, a great accessory, a great piece of jewelry? You have to pick one. That is key.”
JG: To me, your clothes are very self-assured. Do you think you could describe the quintessential CO woman?
SD: Yes. She is self-realized. This can mean different things to different people. To me, it means a woman who knows herself. One is not born knowing; you need great life experience for that. You need to take risks and be unafraid to fail early on. She is resilient enough to get back up. The CO woman reflects this self-realization in the way she dresses. She is self-assured enough to keep it minimal and simple, but there is always an element of risk. One element that makes her stand out and reflects her boldness and confidence.
JG: Who do you love to collaborate with?
SD: Samuel Drira, who is CO’s stylist.
JG: How does your work complement each other? What does he bring to the table that elevates your work?
SD: He pushes me. He is the risk-taker portion of myself. I’m a storyteller and he helps me translate that into the silhouette. I look at the woman, he at the silhouette — and that dialogue helps us achieve our vision each season.
JG: What's on your travel docket? What are you packing?
SD: I'm going to Marrakesh for Christmas and New Year’s. I’m renting a house with my best friends and our kids. I’m packing my CO oversized poplin shirts, my CO leather field Jacket, a few pairs of vintage Levis, my vintage embroidered Moroccan kaftans, my CO sandals, and my uniform, which is our thin cashmere knits, which I layer and wear almost every day.
“One is not born knowing; you need great life experience for that. You need to take risks and be unafraid to fail early on.”
JG: The designers we interview often mention vintage Levis. There is something special about the hunt to find that perfect pair.
SD: I collect them. They remind me of moving to LA in my early twenties, having no money, and spending afternoons thrifting with my girlfriends. They remind me of being carefree. They somehow remind me of California.
JG: What else are you shopping for right now?
SD: Westman Atelier's new matte lipsticks. I want every color.
JG: Oh my God, those lipsticks are revelatory. Great rec. What should be in my cart right now?
SD: A piece of leather from CO in burgundy or chocolate from the fall season.
JG: Ok, just a few more questions. What's the best advice about love you ever received?
SD: Love yourself first, and love will come to you effortlessly.
JG: About friendship?
SD: Be yourself so your people can find you.
JG: I finish every one of these interviews with this question. Describe your perfect Sunday.
SD: I'm sleeping in (‘till 8 a.m., lol), taking a long bath, going to the farmer’s market in Saint Germain, spending time with my son, and cooking dinner for friends.
Tear Sheet:
Website: https://co-collections.com/
Instagram: @co
Fav beauty secret: “A little zinc ointment in your lotion for glowing skin.”
Gateway piece: “CO’s new sock boot.”
Business advice: “Keep your overhead low.”
Recent read: All Fours by Miranda July
I loveeeed this interview so much. What an unbelievably cool woman!!!
I was already obsessed with CO but after reading this profile, it's safe to say my obsession has grown 10x. Loved learning more about Stephanie's approach to design and getting dressed.