Daniel Tribouillard

the designers

In 1958 a Paris house was opened by Daniel Tribouillard, who gave it the name of Jacques Leonard. No details are available of who Jacques Leonard was, but Daniel Tribouillard and his family, have been running the concern ever since.

His wife's name is Jeanne and his daughters are named Nathalie and Virginia.

In 1960, Daniel Tribouillard introduces the first "fully-fashioned" pullovers with print designs and employs a unique new printing process which receives an international patent.

In 1968, Daniel Tribouillard decides to create for Leonard his first collection of silk jersey garments and in 1970, the first exclusive Leonard boutique is opened in Paris.

In 1975, the first collections of produce under licence are conceived. In 1984 Tribouillard presented his first collection in Japan, after designing a line of kimonos. He was the first westerner ever to design Japanese kimonos.

The politic of licence is asserted in 1985 and it will enable Leonard to intensify the multiplication of exclusives boutiques all over the world.

In 1987, Daniel Tribouillard buys out the Jacques Leonard's Group as well as subsidiary companies and becomes Chairman the same year.

In 1992, Leonard started the Menswear line. And, in 1994, Leonard joins the French Couture Federation. The strategy for developing the name Leonard has been fruitful and the Leonard Group has doubled the international turnover and two news boutiques are created in Macau and Bangkok in 1997.

In 1995 to celebrate the first Shanghai International Fashion Festival, Daniel Tribouillard went to China and presented his collection of colourful flowered garments there. It was a great success.

For several seasons around 2000, Belgian designer Veronique Leroy designed for Leonard.

There are now 130 exclusive Leonard stores throughout the world plus about 100 shops in Japan marketing silk scarves, jewellery, leather accessories and clothing. Their most well-known feature is their silk print, done in a similar way to Japanese artists doing screen-printing.

Tribouillard has brought in the husband/wife team of Michele and Olivier Chatenet, who have their own popular French label E2.

They have breathed new life into Leonard. Beautifully coloured lotus and chrysanthemum flowers appear on coats, mini-dresses, jackets and other garments. Daniel Tribouillard has brought out a book showing beautiful flower prints, called "L'Art de Leonard".