1933-2026
BRAND HISTORY
2006
THE BIRTH OF MAISON CLOSE / SCANDALE
Maison Close was born in Marseille almost by accident, with no business plan, no investors and no certainties, founded by Nicolas Busnel, alias Monsieur le Français, the Maison's sole designer for the past twenty years. Driven by a sketch, an intuition and the desire to offer a different vision of French lingerie, the brand established from the outset an approach that was bolder, more personal, more narrative and intrinsically linked to imagery.
Originally, Maison Close was intended to be a small accessories brand accompanied by a few lingerie pieces, but the images, collections and stories created around the product quickly found their audience, laying the foundations for a distinctive universe.
2007
LEGWEAR
Maison Close develops its first signature LEGWEAR creations around the leg: the raw-cut rolled stocking, created by Monsieur le Français to rise just beneath the buttock, visually elongating the legs and rounding the silhouette under the tension of the suspender belt; the authentic seamed nylon stocking, crafted with unique finishes and colours; followed by layering and calendering, creating moiré effects, ripples and a graphic interpretation of transparency.
2009
THE BIRTH OF THE CATSUIT
Maison Close develops its first statement pieces - dresses, bodysuits, jumpsuits and catsuits - initially to meet minimum fabric order requirements, before establishing them as a product category in their own right, closer to ready-to-wear than traditional lingerie.
Monsieur le Français names this piece the catsuit, inspired by Catwoman, cinematic heroines, comic books, the circus, dance, uniforms and the idea of a second-skin garment capable of creating a more powerful silhouette, almost like superpowers; a name born from the Maison Close universe that is now used worldwide to describe this type of piece.
THE TRIANGLE BRA
August 2009
Monsieur le Français pioneers the revival of the triangle bra at a time when the push-up trend is moving away from a more natural silhouette. A more sensual and elegant approach, designed to enhance smaller busts and reveal lingerie rather than conceal it.
2011
LA GAZETTE
Maison Close publishes its first Gazette, conceived as a more intimate way of communicating with its loyal customers, with a distinctly French touch, slipped into parcels long before social media gradually began to replace print.
2014
FIRST INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
Maison Close is named Boudoir Brand of the Year at the UK Lingerie Awards, an international recognition that confirms its positioning as a French brand specialising in premium seductive lingerie.
KATE MOSS IN LUI MAGAZINE
Kate Moss appears in Maison Close in the pages of LUI Magazine, photographed by Steven Meisel, bringing the brand significant visibility in a fashion and image-led publication with iconic status.
2015
OPENING OF THE NEW YORK FLAGSHIP
Maison Close opens its first boutique in New York, in SoHo, taking over the former Café Noir location, with the aim of strengthening its visibility, creating a direct connection with its clientele and giving physical form to its universe.
THE MUSE'S DAY
April 2015
Maison Close creates Muse Day, celebrated every April 22 to mark the anniversary of the boutique's opening and pay tribute to the women who inspire, wear and bring the brand to life.
2016
THE BUNNY TAKES THE STAGE
Inspired by Helmut Newton's photogenic universe, the Bunny enters the world of Maison Close as an object of role-play, staging and photography; the brand develops a unique style of its own, which becomes an instantly recognisable visual signature.
BEYOND BORDERS
The development of its e-commerce website enables Maison Close to strengthen its direct distribution and expand its international presence, particularly in France, the United States, Germany and other key markets.
2017
INTERNATIONAL REACH
Madonna appears in Maison Close in a series of photographs for Harper's Bazaar, shot by Steven Meisel, and goes on to wear the brand on several occasions, further cementing its international aura and global editorial visibility.
With its highly photogenic pieces, captured by some of the world's greatest photographers and worn by icons such as Rihanna, Cameron Diaz, Gisele Bündchen, Britney Spears in one of her music videos, Cara Delevingne photographed by Karl Lagerfeld, Anja Rubik and Bella Hadid, Maison Close enters a new dimension of image and recognition.
2018 — 2020
NEW PRODUCT SIGNATURES
Between 2018 and 2020, Monsieur le Français asserts a more distinctive design language through collections driven by powerful narratives: Pure Tentation introduces sensual, second-skin lingerie, Chambre Noire embraces Fetishism, Inspiration Divine elevates the Maison's style with its golden cross and visible suspender attachment, Corps à Corps introduces fluorescent hues and interchangeable straps, while Blue Angel explores an iridescent blue foil inspired by the Morpho butterfly.
Each collection embraces the interplay between opacity and transparency, layering, mix and match, masculine and feminine codes, and complete immersion through imagery, film, illustration and music.
2020
A NEW CREATIVE IMPULSE
Lize.K's arrival as Artistic Director opens a creative dialogue with Monsieur le Français and shapes a lasting evolution of the brand's image: collections are increasingly brought to life through their stories, with a more cinematic approach, a distinctive writing style, a deep attachment to the French language and an unwavering editorial vision, supported by collaborations with leading photographers.
Maison Close thus asserts a unique way of presenting lingerie, at the intersection of product, storytelling, imagery and emotion.
2021
MILEY CYRUS
With Blue Angel, Maison Close unveils a highly visual collection defined by an iridescent blue foil inspired by the Morpho butterfly and conceived as a striking graphic apparition.
Worn by Miley Cyrus on her album cover, on tour and at the Super Bowl, the collection confirms Maison Close's ability to transcend the boundaries of lingerie and become a powerful image of performance, music and international pop culture.
2023
NEW CREATIVE HEADQUARTERS IN MARSEILLE
Maison Close establishes its new offices in Marseille in the former Noilly Prat distillery, a place steeped in history that becomes the Maison's new creative headquarters, supporting its growth, image and development as a company.
LE VESTIAIRE
Le Vestiaire marks the arrival of ready-to-wear in the Maison Close universe, with timeless pieces designed to complement the lingerie look and bring underwear into outerwear through open backs, cut-outs, fluid fabrics and signature details.
2024
THE CRAZY CATWALK SHOW
The Crazy Catwalk Show celebrates Maison Close's eighteenth anniversary by bringing together twelve iconic collections in a spectacular format combining lingerie, ready-to-wear, accessories and immersive staging, while cementing the brand's place in the first digital lingerie fashion show.
24 SECRET DAYS
24 Secret Days introduces Maison Close's first digital Advent calendar, conceived around the creation of unique limited-edition pieces unveiled each day of December as a commercial, community-driven and experiential initiative.
2025
LE BAIN
Maison Close expands its universe with Le Bain, its first venture into swimwear and resortwear, extending its sensual vision beyond lingerie and dressing the body for new settings: sun, beach, pool, travel and summer.
ACQUISITION OF SCANDALE
Monsieur le Français acquires SCANDALE, the iconic French Maison founded in 1932, with the ambition of preserving its historic lingerie heritage and writing a new chapter in continuity with Maison Close.
CABINET OF DESIRABLE CURIOSITIES
Conceived as a Maison collection and presented in the spirit of a cabinet of curiosities, the Cabinet of Desirable Curiosities brings together objects, accessories and collectible pieces inspired by Maison Close's iconic collections, affirming a complete and distinctive universe.
2026
THE SCANDALE LEGACY
Feb. 2026
Maison Close unveils ROCOCO as its first collection paying tribute to SCANDALE, offering a contemporary reinterpretation of historic corsetry codes through structure, archival references, transparency and product craftsmanship.
TWENTY YEARS OF BOLDNESS AND THE TRANSITION TO SCANDALE
Sept. 2026
Maison Close celebrates its twentieth anniversary at Théâtre Le Trianon with a private show retracing its collections, imagery and signature codes, while marking its transition to SCANDALE.
MAISON CLOSE BECOMES SCANDALE
Jul. 2026
After twenty years, Maison Close officially changes its name to SCANDALE, with the ambition of preserving its product, creative and commercial DNA while embracing a heritage name with broader international resonance.
FIRST SCANDALE BOUTIQUE
SCANDALE opens its first boutique at 5 rue Cambon, conceived as an experiential, omnichannel retail space designed to bring the brand's new chapter to life in a physical setting.
