Gossip Stone is proud to present an exclusive interview with Franck Sorbier @francksorbier, one of the most well-known creative minds in the fashion world. Franck’s shows are not just about fashion; they are pure magic. He knows how to transform runways into theatrical stages, telling stories with each stitch and detail. His creations combine history, emotion, and beauty, leaving you breathless.
His most recent collection, “Symphonie Barbare,” unveiled at Haute Couture Week, is another standout. Bold, raw, and heartfelt, the collection is a powerful tribute to strength and resilience. Every gown tells its own story—of courage, strength, and the continuous fight for peace. Once again, Franck proves that fashion can be more than clothes. It can be art, emotion, and sometimes even a voice for something greater.
So, let’s dive right in!
A Few Words About Franck Sorbier
He’s one of the rare few to earn the prestigious title of Grand Couturier, joining the exclusive ranks of fashion’s finest. Franck is also a Maître d’Art, a rare title awarded by the French government for his dedication to preserving traditional craftsmanship. Known for handmade techniques and innovative fabrics, he has even experimented with augmented reality and 3D mapping in his 2012 collection, staying ahead of the curve while remaining loyal to his heritage.
Franck Sorbier blends tradition with wild creativity. His career began in the late 1980s, working for labels such as Chantal Thomass and Thierry Mugler before launching his own brand. His work is always visually spectacular, poetic, and expressive.
In 2005, Franck received recognition as a haute couture designer from the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Parisienne. His creations have graced celebrities, opera stages, and historical reenactments. Each piece holds meaning, whether it’s honoring peace warriors or celebrating nature’s beauty.
Blending Fashion and Theatre
Gossip Stone: Your shows usually feel more like a theater performance, not just a fashion show. Why do you love mixing fashion with storytelling like that?
Franck Sorbier:
I am from that generation that was fascinated by the designers of the second half of the 70s, named the Late 70s.
That era was a party as much on the catwalks as in life. Fashion adopted an extroverted attitude; it freed itself from the hushed world of haute couture salons.
There was that momentum and energy that characterized this unbridled period before the unfortunate AIDS epidemic. At the same time, cinema was teeming with passionate, romantic, and sometimes extreme stories.
It is surely the desire to live my life like a novel, of which I write a new chapter at every moment.
Non-Standard Models
Gossip Stone: You’re often choosing models who don’t fit the typical fashion mold. What inspires you to do so?
Franck Sorbier:
At the very beginning, it was friends or friends of friends who wore the models I created. Each outfit stuck to their skin; that was the idea. We are in 1987, 1988, and 1989.
In 1990, thanks to Japanese friends, I started to have professional models. This would last for a long time.
I had the chance to collaborate with young women, most of whom became friends—that was the atmosphere of the time. I also benefited from the help of modeling agencies and confirmed models who lent themselves to the game out of sympathy and affection.
Then the models I loved disappeared, making way for stereotypical and disembodied girls.
At that time, with Isabelle, my wife, we decided, from 2014, to turn towards the world of classical dance. We proposed a white collection presented as a ballet on pointe.
We mixed actresses, singers, and personalities. That way, I was able to rediscover grace. Character, temperament, and personality have always guided my choices. My inspiration also comes from the people who live and bring life to the creations of the House.
Horses on the Runway
Gossip Stone: You’ve included horses in several of your shows. What’s the story behind that? Do they have a special meaning for you?
Franck Sorbier:
You should rather ask my wife; she is passionate about horses, especially one called Minos, a magnificent black Friesian.
The first time we had the chance and happiness to have a horse participate in a collection was in 2001, at the Rotonde des salons de l’Impératrice of the Grand Hôtel Intercontinental in Paris. The collection was titled “L’Épopée de Velours,” and it was the bride who arrived on horseback at the end of the show wearing a cape teeming with birds, designed by Isabelle and embroidered by Monsieur François Lesage.
We owe this experience to Mario Luraschi, the great equestrian stuntman and godfather of that collection. Since then, it has become a tradition. History says that the horse is man’s most beautiful conquest; it also represents freedom, elegance, and nobility.
Love for Theatre and Ballet
Gossip Stone: Do you remember when you first fell in love with theater and ballet? How has that shaped your work?
Franck Sorbier:
These are childhood memories. At my maternal grandparents’ house, there was a bottle of liqueur, and inside it, a ballerina danced on pointe when you wound up the mechanism.
I like all kinds of dance. As for theater, every week on television, there was an evening called “Au théâtre ce soir”. Most often, it was boulevard theater with a phenomenal actress named Jacqueline Maillan.
The end credits always said, “and the costumes are by Donald Cardwell.” I remember it like it was yesterday.
In both theatre and dance, it’s live, and everything surrounding the actors contributes to the success—the lights, sets, sound, hairstyles, make-up, and costumes. It’s a bit like fashion shows.
Fashion shows are like theatre—every detail matters.
Tech Meets Couture
Gossip Stone: You’ve used cool technology like 3D mapping in your shows. Do you think tech is the future of couture?
Franck Sorbier:
Here again, it’s my wife… She is full of resources. But what a joy to push the exercise beyond clothing.
Since then, this technology has progressed in the subtlety of the image. These techniques allowed me to tell a new version of my favorite tale, “Donkey Skin” by Charles Perrault.
Tech cannot replace haute couture, but it can accompany it to become a fantastic yet ephemeral spectacle. Haute couture must remain the sanctuary of creative freedom.
Telling Stories Through Fashion
Gossip Stone: Your collections always feel like they’re telling a story. Where do you find inspiration for these stories?
Franck Sorbier:
In the spirit of the times, in my heart, in what seems essential to me at a given moment. Research, experimentation, and travel interest me.
It can come from an event, a photograph, a film poster, a question mark… everything or nothing. There are no rules.
Sustainability in Couture
Gossip Stone: A lot of people are talking about sustainability. How do you think couture can be more eco-friendly?
Franck Sorbier:
Haute Couture already develops fewer products than ready-to-wear or accessories. There’s less production and therefore less waste.
Maison Franck Sorbier has always created zero-offcut collections. What’s left is reused for designs or small textile cards. We sometimes make crazy patches!
Sustainability isn’t an option; it’s a philosophy that guides us.
Traditional Craftsmanship
Gossip Stone: You’ve been named a Maître d’Art, which is a big deal. How do you keep traditional skills alive while moving fashion forward?
Franck Sorbier:
In 2017, we selected sketches from 18th-century archives, printed them on silk organza. It was a technical performance—a marriage of past, present, and future.
Future of Haute Couture
Gossip Stone: Do you think haute couture will stay the same, or is it changing into something new?
Franck Sorbier:
Today’s Haute Couture is different from yesterday’s, and there will surely be more upheavals in the future.
In 2009, we presented a collection as a black-and-white film called “Haute Couture is no longer what it was. So what!”It was a new way of presenting couture.
Then came Covid-19. This was no longer a choice but an obvious fact. We produced several seasons in the form of short films.
What makes haute couture remain haute couture are the techniques, the work, the hands, and the know-how.
I believe we need to elevate haute couture so that it becomes, in my opinion, more cultural.
Nature and Mythology
Gossip Stone: Your work often includes elements of nature and mythology. Where does that come from?
Franck Sorbier:
Our planet has given us everything—a nature as varied as it is wonderful. The flora, the fauna, the elements… none of this is the work of human beings.
I sincerely believe in a magic that is beyond us—some people call it God. This is perhaps where nature and mythology meet.
Humans may have invented gods to compete with the majesty and power of nature. Nature and mythology participate in the same enigma and allow us to escape from materialism.
Favorite Design
Gossip Stone: Out of all the beautiful pieces you’ve created, do you have a favorite? What makes it so special?
Franck Sorbier:
Maybe the one I haven’t created yet.
I think we always hope to surpass ourselves, which is what keeps us going. The day when only memories remain, it’s over.
It often happens that we’re not convinced by a dress, but it’s sometimes the beginning of another one for another time. An idea that couldn’t be expressed at the time just needs to mature.
Maybe one day, I could answer this question more concretely.
The dress I love most? Maybe the one I haven’t created yet.
Exclusivity of Your Gowns
Gossip Stone: Some say your gowns are so rare and precious that only royalty and A-list celebrities can wear them. What do you think about that?
Franck Sorbier:
This is not what I’ve experienced since I started creating dresses. I’ve dressed celebrities and aristocrats, but I’ve also dressed young women, especially for their weddings.
They don’t have blue blood and aren’t famous. However, they have a nobility of heart and soul.
I’ve been lucky enough to meet some fabulous people, but I keep it discreet. It’s better that way.
Advice for Young Designers
Gossip Stone: When you started out, did you ever think you’d be where you are today? What advice would you give to young designers who want to follow your path?
Franck Sorbier:
When I started, I was completely unaware. I didn’t imagine anything.
When success came, I had no experience managing it. Since I was very reserved and not used to interviews, it was a disaster. I’ve always been better at writing than speaking.
The media doesn’t give you time to think; you have to respond on the spot. It took me a long time to put myself forward. I wanted people to see my work and appreciate me through it.
For advice, there’s a French expression: “advisors are not the payers.” Times have changed, and my advice would be from a bygone space-time.
But here’s a hint: if you want to express yourself, go for it. Surround yourself with good people, and never lose your bearings. Remember, the light can guide you, but it can also blind you.
Your Legacy
Gossip Stone: When you think about your legacy, how do you want to be remembered in the world of fashion?
Franck Sorbier:
I still have a few years to continue. I was lucky enough to write a book; I’d love to write a second one.
There are also many pieces in museums and in my House, which I hope will be presented one day so that everyone can discover and rediscover them.
I’ve participated and still participate in the contemporary writing of haute couture, and I hope to continue in the future.
And to finish, here’s a sentence from Jean Cocteau:
“The first places are not interesting. What interests me are the places apart.”
My designs are not just dresses; they are pieces of living art.
Photo Courtesy Franck Sorbier
