INTERVIEW - JAZZISCOOL

Hi Franck, I found out about you through your shop. The Coolest Man You Know , which was, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful showrooms in Paris. For those who don't know you yet, could you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your background?

I had my first experiences in fashion at APC and Merci. I quickly realized that I wanted to get into entrepreneurship. After a few years, I was able to open VBS, a first concept store for men in Paris in 2015. It was a multi-brand boutique with a cutting-edge selection, including brands like Rocky Mountain, Alden, Paraboot and Private White. I separated from it in 2019 due to irreconcilable differences with my partner at the time. Subsequently, I created the brand The Coolest Man You Know (TCMYK) and opened the store right after.

You created The Coolest Man You Know with a very specific vision. Can you tell us what inspired you to launch this store and what it meant to you?

I created TCMYK with a simple vision: a brand for men, focused on product quality and highlighting the work of artisans across Europe, mainly in Italy.

Closing the shop must have been a significant moment. Can you tell us about the reasons behind this decision and what you take away from this experience?

Indeed, the closure was imposed on us. Various factors, such as the very difficult Covid period, made the management of the store complex. For a store that had just opened, it was particularly complicated. We then focused on digital. Today, the brand is at the end of its journey, because I decided to focus on other projects. It was, as for every entrepreneur, a formative experience, but I only remember the positive. I like to flourish in what I do, and when the pleasure is no longer there, I prefer not to insist.

How have you reoriented your career or projects? Have you found new ways to continue expressing your creativity?

With TCMYK, I had the pleasure of touching on everything, including creative direction, a field in which I now work for other entities and brands. My first passion remains design and interior architecture. My next projects are also oriented towards these fields. Creating remains my primary motivation, and I take great pleasure in doing so in disciplines other than clothing.

You often post very cutting-edge African music and books in your Instagram stories. Is it important for you to share these elements with your audience?

My account @Jazziscool is like a moodboard of my favorites. Although it is mainly focused on interior curation, I also share a lot of music and art, including records and books that have left their mark on me. It is not necessarily calculated, but it is important for me to highlight African or Afro-descendant artists or works, because it is a culture that is dear to me. I am a big fan of hip-hop, jazz, soul, salsa and bossa nova, and this is quickly noticeable in my publications. My audience is there for my tastes, so it seems natural to me to share them.

For this collaboration, you prepared a special playlist. Can you tell us what were your inspirations for this musical selection?

I think we have similar tastes in music, so you won't be surprised to find a lot of songs that are familiar to you. But yes, it will be a mix of classics, more retro songs, and more recent sounds that I particularly like.

Franck's playlist is available on our Spotify ☺︎