When a Serbian family workshop that tailors for luxury houses launches its own brand with upcycled fabrics, French soft tailoring discovers a new deal.
The story begins in a discreet workshop in Aubervilliers, where the Miletic family has been perpetuating high-end shirt-making expertise for three generations.
For decades, their factory worked for prestigious references – Dior, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent. Since 2022, they have taken a new step: developing their own brand directly, Couturier Parisien, with a particular approach to pricing.
Their method? Direct sales, with a pre-order system (ending 06/15), coupled with ends of rolls padrões by luxury houses, recovered via the platform. In concrete terms: fabrics usually intended for expensive pieces find themselves in clothes offered at more accessible prices.
Please note, this is a collection presentation: we will write the full test of the Jungle Jacket and the Ottoman pants in about ten days.
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Disclaimer Couturier Parisien x JamaisVulgaire
As you know, we have already collaborated several times with Couturier Parisien on JamaisVulgaire capsules.
This is a win-win collaboration that was not previously possible with any other workshop:
– for JamaisVulgaire: it allows me to offer you mini-capsules of ultra-original pieces, with fairly rare fabrics. Dragan is very flexible in creating new clothes, which allows me to offer you clothes that cannot be found elsewhere
– for Couturier Parisien: the collaboration brings visibility to the brand on the site and allows it to then integrate reworked versions of the bestsellers of the collaboration into its own collections
Each season, you will thus discover strong pieces through the Couturier Parisien x JamaisVulgaire collaboration, which you can then find, in a different fabric, at the Couturier Parisien brand.
Thus, this is the case here of the Jungle Jacket which is reinterpreted here as a cotton safari jacket, much more summery:
And its summer version, a little easier to wear:
You will therefore understand that I am particularly enthusiastic about these pieces and therefore offer you a -15% discount code JAMAISVULGAIRE15 valid on the entire pre-order (which ends on 06/15). By combining it with the -10% newsletter subscription code, you can thus benefit from a total discount of -32.5% (this is an affiliate code, so I will receive a small commission on the amount of your purchases, without it costing you more).
Reminder: The revival of soft tailoring: effortless elegance, unconstrained style
Soft tailoring has been experiencing a real revival in recent years. After the era of all-casual or teleworking in jogging suits, we are rediscovering the pleasure of comfortable yet elegant sartorial outfits.
Unstructured jackets without shoulder pads, pleated trousers in soft materials, safari jackets inspired by the military: these hybrid pieces make it possible to combine the ease of a casual garment with the neat silhouette of a suit. In short, it is a new way of dressing, freer and more versatile, without sacrificing style. We are thus seeing an upsurge in enthusiasm for light Neapolitan-style jackets, impeccably-cut drawstring trousers, or even updated overshirts and Jungle Jackets. Soft tailoring offers an answer to those in search of effortless elegance: you only need to look around, from offices to cafés, to see that the line between formal and casual is blurring. Thus, a safari jacket over an open shirt or flannel trousers with an elasticated waistband worn with loafers become everyday outfits.
Reminder: Couturier Parisien, a family workshop from Paris to Serbia, upcycled luxury fabrics for an unbeatable quality-price ratio
To understand the DNA of Couturier Parisien, one must trace its history back to the 1960s. The brand is the direct heir of a high-end shirt-making workshop founded in Paris by the Miletic family, of Serbian origin. At the time, the Yugoslav community in the Sentier district took up the torch of Parisian prêt-à-porter, working for the greatest luxury houses. The founder’s grandfather, Stevan, thus arrived in 1966 and participated in this adventure: his workshop produced for Dior, Chanel, Sonia Rykiel, Yves Saint Laurent….
A few years later, in 1974, his son Zoran also came to Paris and founded his own workshop in 1981 in Aubervilliers – the historic workshop of Couturier Parisien. For more than a decade, some thirty artisans made high-end shirts there, with each seamstress making a piece from A to Z. This artisanal method, far from assembly-line work, guaranteed complete control over the garment and extreme care to detail.
However, the economic challenges of the 1990s pushed Zoran to anticipate and relocate the workshop to Serbia as early as 1989. Unlike many fast-fashion-oriented offshore productions, the Miletic family’s Serbian factory preserved the same work philosophy as in Paris: the same artisanal meticulousness, the same quest for quality.
The region, a pioneer in welcoming Western European workshops, managed to maintain a high level of know-how; the workshop never succumbed to the dehumanized industrial methods of mass distribution. Thus, producing in Serbia does not detract from the quality, and many high-end brands continue to entrust their pieces to this family workshop. Today managed by Dragan Miletic, the founder’s grandson, the workshop employs about twenty people and works for both French DNVBs and international luxury houses, while also developing its own direct-to-consumer brand: Couturier Parisien.
What does being a workshop-brand without intermediaries change? Essentially, the final price is reduced without compromising on quality. Couturier Parisien does not have to add a margin to pay an external manufacturer, an agent, or a distributor: everything is done “in-house”. For example, development costs (prototypes, pattern making) are integrated: the workshop’s design office, already financed by orders from professional clients, can create the brand’s new models without prohibitive additional costs. There is no back-and-forth between the brand and a subcontractor, everything is validated internally, which reduces delays and expenses. Similarly, logistics are optimized: fabrics are ordered at the same time as those for the workshop’s clients, without extra cost, and finished products go directly from the workshop to the final customer, saving the expense of an external warehouse. Result: Couturier Parisien can display spectacularly competitive prices for the quality offered, often well below equivalent classic brands. We will verify this later with a numerical comparison.
Another decisive asset of the Couturier Parisien model is its privileged access to sumptuous upcycled luxury fabrics. As a manufacturer for prestigious houses, the Miletic workshop recovers unused roll ends from these brands. Rather than gathering dust on shelves, these fabrics find a second life in Couturier Parisien collections thanks to the partnership with Nona Source, the LVMH group’s deadstock resale platform. We are talking about upcycling, not recycling: these are new and noble materials simply discarded due to insufficient quantity for classic industrial production. For Couturier Parisien, it’s a godsend: these end-of-stock fabrics, sold at knockdown prices, allow them to offer customers fabrics normally reserved for much more expensive garments.
For example, during our previous collaboration, Couturier Parisien was able to offer a Jungle Jacket in upcycled LVMH houndstooth for only €230 – an unbeatable price for this type of piece,ปัจจัย in France. Upcycling provides access to exceptional raw materials without inflating the price: “a very high-quality fabric for not very much money, and therefore a good quality garment at a competitive price”. Obviously, the counterpart is that quantities are limited to the length of the available roll: each launch is a limited edition (sometimes 20 or 30 copies at most), which can sell out very quickly.
In short, Couturier Parisien combines artisanal heritage and economic innovation. The brand manufactures itself, controls its costs, and sublimates dormant fabrics from couture houses – all to deliver pieces with an outstanding quality-price ratio. Before making a concrete comparison with other DNVBs, let’s illustrate this value proposition through a few flagship products from the current pre-order collection (ending 06/15).
Soft tailoring in action: focus on three flagship pieces from Couturier Parisien
The latest Couturier Parisien capsule collection – available for pre-order (ending 06/15) for 2 weeks from publication – consists of several emblematic pieces of soft tailoring. Let’s focus on three of them that particularly embody the brand’s approach: the Jungle Jacket (or safari jacket), the cotton jersey suit trousers, and the “jogpant” trousers in cool wool. Each blends modern comfort and sartorial details, and benefits from the famous upcycled fabrics.
The Jungle Jacket: vintage safari spirit, modern utility tailoring
If you had to choose just one piece to understand this soft tailoring spirit, it would undoubtedly be the Jungle Jacket. Inspired by tropical military jackets from the 60s-70s, this revisited safari jacket ticks all the style boxes: relaxed at heart, but impeccably cut and finely detailed.
Made from a 100% compact cotton gabardine (a dense fabric with a dry touch), the Jungle Jacket offers a hand that is both robust and supple. The fabric comes from dormant stocks of luxury houses – a guarantee of superior quality at a contained price. No approximate heat-sealing here: you benefit from the natural hold of thick cotton and serious construction. True to the utilitarian spirit of the safari jacket, the jacket is equipped with four large patch pockets with flaps on the front, very practical for carrying essentials (glasses, notebook, smartphone, etc.) while asserting a chic adventurer style. These pockets, carefully reproduced from a vintage 70s model, feature a box pleat for increased capacity, and their rounded flaps add a touch of old-school elegance.
When trying on this Jungle Jacket, one also appreciates the well-thought-out cut by the workshop: the garment is worn slightly loose for comfort, while offering discreet adjustments. On the back, there is a central ease pleat that ensures better shoulder mobility (practical for driving or cycling, for example) and – a signature detail – two buttoned tightening tabs at the waist. These allow the jacket to be slightly cinched according to one’s morphology, creating a more structured silhouette if desired, or conversely, to be left straight for a more casual fall. It’s a clever compromise between a blazer and a utility jacket.
Another notable element: the jacket closes with natural horn buttons (not simple plastic ones), a sign of the desire to do things well right down to the last detail. The sleeves include adjustable buttoned cuffs. The interior is unlined (except probably for reinforcing linings at the sleeves or shoulders, although this is not explicitly mentioned), which lightens the jacket and makes it ideal for mid-season. We are therefore dealing with an unstructured, breathable safari jacket, which can be worn over a dress shirt загрязнения a polo shirt, at the office or on weekends.
In terms of style, Couturier Parisien succeeds here in paying homage to a classic of the men’s wardrobe while subtly modernizing it. The Jungle Jacket, with its undeniable retro charm, easily pairs with dress trousers for a quirky mix & match, or completes a casual outfit (chinos, loafers) by advantageously replacing a blazer. This is typically the kind of piece that makes soft tailoring concrete: you dress in a jacket that has character, without looking stuffy.
The heathered cotton jersey trousers: a fake suit, real comfort
Let’s move on to the bottoms: Couturier Parisien offers revisited suit trousers in an unexpected material, a thick cotton jersey. At first glance, it looks like a very classic charcoal grey flannel trouser, with its pleats and belt loops.
But in reality, the fabric is a 100% cotton heathered jersey – yes, the same type of knit as a sweatshirt, but much more noble and dense. The result? Trousers with a formal aesthetic, hiding a comfort worthy of sweatpants.
Here again, the material comes from unused stocks of major houses: obtaining a high-end jersey of this caliber at this price is a small feat. The trousers have two Italian pockets at the front and two buttoned welt pockets at the back, like traditional suit trousers. Its cut is straight and relatively sensible, so that it can easily be visually confused with smart chinos. But to the touch and in movement, the difference is felt: the jersey provides a suppleness and softness that no woolen cloth offers. You can literally bend your knees, squat, cycle without feeling the slightest discomfort – and without the trousers deforming, thanks to the natural elasticity of the knit.
Couturier Parisien had the good idea to mark a permanent crease on the front of the legs, which structures the silhouette and avoids the jogging effect. This ironed crease gives the illusion of traditional dress trousers, while remaining in place despite the elasticity of the jersey. In terms of hold, the chosen heathered cotton jersey is heavy enough to have drape, but breathable enough to be worn almost all year round. It perfectly embodies casual chic: pair it with a navy blue suit jacket, no one will guess you’re wearing upgraded sweatpants… until you slip your hands into your pockets and attempt a split (yes, we’re barely exaggerating).
These jersey trousers therefore offer a rare balance between formal and casual. They can advantageously replace suit trousers on long days or train/plane journeys, without wrinkling or constricting you. And conversely, they instantly upgrade a simple white T-shirt or a polo shirt with their “dressy flannel” look. Note: they close with a zip and a classic button at the waistband – no drawstring or visible elastic here, sobriety is key. In short, a very nice surprise at a killer price for its category.
The cool wool jogpant: elegance in sport mode
Last highlighted piece: the petrol blue cool wool jogpant. This time, we embrace the sporty side of the garment, while elevating it thanks to the material and finishes. Imagine trousers with an elastic jogging-style waistband, equipped with a drawstring… but made from 100% cool wool (lightweight tropical wool) in a blue-grey color, woven in Italy for a major house. This is Couturier Parisien’s bold gamble: to take the cut of a jogpant and give it the nobility of tailoring.
On this model, the nod to sportswear is obvious: the waistband is elasticated and features an assumed and visible white drawstring. However, the cut remains quite elegant – carrot-shaped and tapered towards the bottom – and above all, the cool wool gives the trousers an impeccable drape and a sober look. Cool wool is a high-end summer fabric, renowned for its extreme lightness and breathability: ideal for warm days or very active people. To the touch, it is cool and dry, nothing like sweatshirt fleece.
Couturier Parisien has integrated a flat pleat on the front and slight darts at the waistband, so as to recall the codes of dress trousers. Similarly, there are two buttoned welt pockets at the back, a more formal detail not seen on classic jogging bottoms. In short, seen from the back or from a distance, one would think it was an elegant pair of city trousers; seen up close, one understands that it is a hyper-comfortable hybrid piece.
This kind of high-end wool jogpant is quite rare on the market at this price point. BonneGueule offered a similar one a few years ago at a higher price (and without an apparent drawstring, more minimalist). Here, Couturier Parisien plays the card of assumed casualness by letting the contrasting drawstring add a sporty touch.
In use, these petrol blue jogpants are a delight for anyone who alternates between formal and casual outfits. You can wear them with a tucked-in light blue Oxford shirt and a light blazer for a comfortable Friday wear, or with a simple sweatshirt and white trainers on the weekend for a neo-preppy look. As cool wool is crease-resistant and durable, the trousers maintain a smart appearance from morning to night, even in hot weather. Here again, the finishes are up to par: quality buttons, clean seams, and artisanal production in small series (limited edition).
Let’s emphasize one point: offering such a concentration of sartorial details (marked crease, buttoned pockets, LVMH fabric) on a jogpant base was a risky gamble, which could disconcert purists. But Couturier Parisien has the merit of exploring the idea of soft tailoring to the fullest: pushing the elegance slider right into a sporty piece. The result may not please everyone – some will prefer classic chinos – but it offers a unique alternative for those who refuse to compromise between ease and style.
The Ottoman pleated trousers
To complete this overview, I tested the khaki Ottoman pleated trousers – a piece that embodies Couturier Parisien’s sartorial DNA. These trousers are made from a khaki Ottoman fabric (a wool and silk blend from dormant luxury house stocks couturierparisien.fr). Ottoman is a very tightly woven fabric with large horizontal ribs in relief. Denser than classic gabardine, it offers excellent hold while retaining a dry touch and a slightly textured appearance. The subtle texture of the Ottoman thus provides visual relief, but the drape of the trousers remains fluid and elegant thanks to the suppleness of the wool-silk blend.
These trousers have a semi-straight, slightly carrot-shaped cut. The waist is slightly high, which lengthens the leg and recalls vintage 1950s cuts.
There are two flat pleats on the front (including a well-marked main pleat) that provide ease at the thighs. At the back, an ease allowance is provided to ensure comfort when seated (and to facilitate any future alterations or enlargements).
The leg bottoms are finished with a cuff of about 5 cm, emphasizing the sartorial style of the trousers. In terms of finishes, we are on mastered classic: the waistband has sturdy belt loops (to wear a belt if desired, even if the waist holds well on its own), the closure is by button and internal hook, the pockets are slanted on the sides and welted at the back (discreet button closure). The inside of the pockets and waistband is neatly piped. The whole exudes quality tailoring, without superfluous details but with impeccable execution.
Conclusion
We have reviewed the Couturier Parisien concept from every angle – from its unique artisanal heritage to its bold pricing strategy.
The distribution model is still as original (upcycled luxury materials, hyper-transparent direct distribution) while respecting the sartorial essence (high-level craftsmanship, sharp but wearable style). The Jungle Jacket and the presented trousers perfectly illustrate the promise kept: you get your money’s worth – or even more – with durable, well-finished, and stylish pieces, sold at a fair price.
Couturier Parisien targets a connoisseur audience willing to operate on a pre-order (ending 06/15) and limited edition basis, where others will prefer the security of an established brand or the ease of a fitting in a boutique. Furthermore, its model requires trusting the (excellent) quality of the workshop 얼굴 for sometimes innovative products (e.g., the wool drawstring jogpant: you have to dare). But this is precisely what makes its appeal: Couturier Parisien offers a more authentic and exclusive experience, almost an “insider” purchase knowing that it comes directly from the family workshop that also manufactures for the big names in luxury.
See you in ten days for our verdict on the Jungle Jacket and the Ottoman trousers
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